DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES OF MAMMALS. 795 



Cranial measurements of type : Greatest length, 54 mm. ; basal length, 47 

 basilar length, 46 ; median palatal length, 28; length of nasals (about), 18 

 distance from lachrymal notch to tip of premaxillary, 2r8 ; diastema, 5 

 width of palate between anterior molars, 9*6 ; lachrymal breadth, 18'4 ; breadth 

 of rostrum at middle of diastema, 7 ; least interorbital breadth, 17'4 ; zygoma- 

 tic breadth, 28 ; least distance from inion to rim of orbit, 26 ; occipital depth 

 12'4 ; depth from middle of parietal to lower surface of audital bulla, 18 ; 

 depth of rostrum at base of nasals, 8 ; depth of rostrum at middle of dias- 

 tema, 5"8 ; mandible, 37 ; maxillary toothrow behind diastema, 19 ; mandibular 

 toothrow (behind diastema), 17. 



Specimens examined. — Seventeen, all from Little Nicobar Island. 



Remarks. — Typical individuals representing the majority of specimens are 

 instantly recognizable, as compared with similar material from Great Nicobar 

 by the dull, relatively lustreless, and ill-contrasted colour of the mantle and 

 thighs, as well as by the less yellow under parts. The mantle is less often 

 outlined by a dark shade at the side than in the typical form. Occasionally a 

 specimen may be found which cannot be certainly referred to either race 

 but taking the series as a whole the characters are readily appreciable. 

 Genus CROCIDUBA Wagler. 

 Crocidura nicobarica, new species. 



Type.—k^uM female (in alcohol), No. 111788, U.S.N.M. Collected on 

 Great Nicobar Island, March 15, 1901, by Dr. W. L. Abbott. Original num- 

 ber, 931. 



Characters. — Largest known oriental member of the sub-genus Crocidura • 

 total length, about 210 mm. General colour, sooty brown. 



Fur. — The fur is dense and velvety, the hairs on middle of back about 

 4 mm. in length, with a few longer ones interspersed. 



Colour. — Dorsal surface prouts brown (slightly darker than Ridgway's 

 PI. Ill, fig, 11), somewhat grizzled in certain lights by the silvery gray reflec- 

 tions from the hairs. Sides, under parts, and both surfaces of legs broccoli 

 brown, slightly washed with wood brown. On middle of chest there is an 

 elongate patch of gray, very nearly Ridgway's gray No, 8, but faintly washed 

 with broccoli brown. Ears, tail, and feet an indefinite fleshy brownish, the 

 thin sprinkling of minute hairs not affecting the colour. 



Tail. — The tail is so minutely and indistinctly annulated that, at first 

 sight, its surface appears to be smooth. On close inspection the rings 

 become visible, about thirty to the centimetre at middle. Numerous dark 

 hairs with silvery reflections spring from the border of each ring. In length 

 they slightly exceed the width of the rings. These hairs are invisible without 

 the aid of a lens, except when seen in profile against a white surface, or 

 when certain lights cause them to appear as a silvery pubescent sheen. 

 With the short hairs are sparsely intermingled cilia, 10 mm. in length. 



MammcB. — Apparently there are two inguinal mammae on each side, but 

 the specimen is sufficiently mutilated to make the count uncertain. 



