18 
NEW-YORK FAUNA. 
adpressed hairs, and slightly pencilled at the tip. Teeth white at the base, piceous at the 
tips. Dental formula : Incisors, § ; cheek teeth, = 30. (Bachman, in his valuable mono¬ 
graph cited above, attributes 18 cheek teeth to this species.) Above,- the incisors are in¬ 
curved, pointed, channelled behind, with a broad base dilated posteriorly, and furnished with 
a distinct point; the four succeeding cheek teeth on each side small, with their external points 
most elevated; the first of the remaining jaw teeth largest of all, with four and occasionally 
five distinct points ; the remainder smaller, and irregularly pointed. In the lower jaw, the 
incisors are long, not contiguous, and projecting horizontally from the jaw; they are curved, 
with pointed tips, and channelled within ; the external edges are sharp, with two and occa 
sionally three distinct emarginations, the base laterally compressed. The first jaw tooth is a 
small pointed prism, lying immediately on the base of the incisor, and directed forwards ; the 
next is still over the root of the incisor, somewhat larger, with an oblique cutting edge ; the 
third is five-pointed, and largest of all; the last is somewhat larger than the second. 
Color. Uniform glossy slate, or if we take a more definite standard, resembling the fur of 
the star-nose. Beneath, merely a shade lighter; and in particular lights there is no per¬ 
ceptible difference in the color, the whole appearing hoary and lustrous. Chin and nose light 
brown. Feet flesh-colored. 
Length of head and body, . 4'8. To the end of the hairs, O'9. 
Length of tail, _0*8. Girth,.... 2'7. 
I am indebted to Mr. Bell for an opportunity of examining other specimens of this Shrew, 
from Rockland county. In one, the length of the head and body was 3'5 ; of tail, 0'7. In 
others, the dimensions were somewhat smaller. The specimens from which our description 
is taken, were obtained from Queens county, and were described and exhibited before the 
Lyceum of Natural History nearly fifteen years ago. I then gave it the name of concolor, 
but the description was never published. Dr. Bachman, who examined the same specimen, 
gave the present name, which, by the just and rigid rule of priority, must be preserved. It 
is nearly allied to brevicaudus, but is larger and more robust in its form. 
This Shrew is found in Albany county, and in the southern parts of the State. Its geo¬ 
graphical range along the Atlantic extends from Massachusetts to Virginia. 
THE SHORT-TAILED SHREW. 
SOREX BREVICAUDUS. 
(STATE COLLECTION.) 
Sorex brevicaudus. Say, Long’s Exped. Vol. 1, p. 164. 
Short-tailed Shrew. Bachman, Ac. Sc. Vol. 7, p. 381. Harlan, Fauna, p. 29. Godman, Am. Nat. Hist. Vol. 1, p. 
79, figure. Kiktland, Ohio Report, p. 175. Linsley, Am. Jour. Sc. Vol. 39, p.388. Emmons, Mass. Rep. 1840, 
P . 13. 
Characteristics. Blackish, plumbeous above. Nose livid brown. Tail nearly as long as 
hind feet. Total length, 4'0-4'5. 
