CHAP. XVII.] MAMMALIA. 191 



and Osteiid. Species of Myogale also occur from the Miocene 

 downwards. 



Family 22. — SORICID^E. (1 Genus, 11 Sub-genera, 65 Species.) 



OiiXEKAL l)i.>Ti:inriiox. 



NkoTI'.OPKJAL NkaKCiK: | P,vL.EAK. T;c I Kru.'c.PiAN | (J.tUCNTA!, Al«l'i:ALI.\.V 



SLB-ltEG.ON-;. I SlB-RKGIOSii. . SL'B- Ll!;<,lo;\S. , 3Uf.-':L:^:u .S. S Jii-l.KGIOVS Si B-;!l..I()\.s 



I I \ 1 ' . '' 



3— 1.2.3.4 1.2.3.4 1.2.3.4 1.2.3.4 



Tlie Shrews have a wide distribution, being found througliout 

 every region except the Australian and Neotropical ; idthougli, as 

 a species is found in Timor and in some of the ^Moluccas, tliey 

 just enter tliis part of tlie former region, while one found in 

 Guatemala brings them into the latter. A number of species have 

 recently been described from India and the Malay Islands, so 

 that the Oriental region is now the richest in shrews, having 28 

 species ; the Nearctic comes next witli 24 ; while the Ethiopian 

 has 11, and the Pal?earctic 10 species. The sub-genera are 

 CrosHopus, Amphisorex, Neosorex, Crocidura, Di2)lomesodon,Pimdia, 

 Pachyura, Blarina, Feroculus, Anausorex. 



Extinct Species. — Several species of Sorex have been found 

 fossil in the Miocene of the South of France, as well as the 

 extinct genera Mysararhnc and Plesiosorex ; and some existing 

 species have occurred in Bone Caves and Diluvial deposits. 



General Remarl:^ on the Distribution of the hisectivora. 



The most prominent features in the distribution of the Insecti- 

 vora are, — their complete absence from South America and Aus- 

 tralia; the presence of Solenodon in two of the West Indian islands 

 while the five allied genera are found only in Madagascar ; and the 

 absence of hedgehogs from North America. If we consider that 

 there are only 135 known sj^ecies of the order, 65 of which belong 

 to the one genus Sorex; while the remaining 26 genera contain 

 only 70 species, which have to be classed in 8 distinct families, 

 and present such divergent and highly specialized forms as Galeo- 

 pithecus, Erinacev.s, Soleiwdon, and Condylurct, it becomes evident 

 that we have here the detached fragments of a much more 



