Feb., 1912. Mammals of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 419 



Type locality — Racine, Wisconsin. 



Distribution —^ Northern United States and southern Canada south to 

 Michigan, southern Wisconsin and New York, and considerably 

 further south in the Allegheny Mountains; its western range ex- 

 tends nearly across the continent but its exact limits are unknown. 



Description — General appearance somewhat resembling S. personatus, 

 but tail decidedly shorter. Upper parts approaching sepia brown; 

 under parts ashy gray or pale brownish gray, often washed with 

 buff on throat and breast; upper surface of tail dark brown, under 

 surface pale. Best distinguished from any of our species by dental 

 characters. There are apparently only three unicuspid teeth 

 present on each side of upper jaw; the third is wedged in between 

 the" 2d and 4th and is so exceedingly small that it requires the aid 

 of a good lens to distinguish it at all and even then it is rarely 

 visible from the outside. The canine and second and third upper 

 incisors have a distinct pigmented secondary cusp near base on 

 the inner sides. 



Measurements — Total length, about 3.20 in. (81 mm.); tail vertebras, 

 1.25 in. (31.8 mm.); hind foot, .42 in. (10.5 mm.). 



Hoy's Shrew was described by the late Prof. Baird, in 1857, from a 

 specimen taken at Racine, Wisconsin. Two specimens, including the 

 type, were recorded by him from that locality. 



A mounted Shrew preserved in the Milwaukee Public Museum, 

 which, taken by Thure Kumlien in Jefferson County, in 1879, was for 

 many years supposed to be this species, but upon examination it proved 

 to be S. personatus; therefore, until 19 10 Baird's specimens were the only 

 ones known to have been taken within our limits. In August, 19 10, 

 Mr. W. H. Osgood secured two others at Lac Vieux Desert, Vilas Co., 

 Wisconsin. He informs me they were not taken in traps but had 

 fallen into a partly excavated well some three or four feet deep, in which 

 he found them. It is probable that the species is by no means rare, 

 but the difficulty in trapping it makes it appear so. 



Regarding the habits of this diminutive species we know very 

 little. Like many others of its kind, its life history is one of Nature's 

 books, which has rarely been opened, and which remains for future 

 investigators to read. 



Specimens examined from Wisconsin: 

 Wisconsin — Lac Vieux Desert, Vilas Co., 2. 



