225 



color, occasionally lighter ; but one specimen exhibited was entirely 

 devoid of such a covering ; seldom more than one ball is found in 

 the stomach of a single animal, and no injury is known to result 

 from their presence ; one instance however was referred to, where no 

 less than sixteen were found ; their occurrence seems to be confined 

 to cattle, with the infrequent exception of pigs, one of the specimens 

 exhibited being from that animal, oval in form, with no coating, the 

 coarse bristles of the outer surface being very regularly arranged on 

 either side of a median line ; it was stated that it is no uncommon 

 occurrence to find them in the stomachs of pigs kept near slaughter- 

 houses, where sheep are prepared for the market, in which case 

 they are formed of wool. 



Mr, A. E. Verrill presented a Supplementary Notice of 



Neosores palustris. 



In a previous notice of this species (p. 164) we attempted to estab- 

 lish the identity of N. alhibarhis Cope, with Sorex palustris Richard- 

 son. One of the chief differences was at that time shown to consist 

 in the lighter color of the lower surfaces of the tail and body in 

 Richardson's specimen, than in those described by Mr. Cope and my- 

 self; but the Museum of Comparative Zoology has quite recently 

 received an additional specimen, collected by my brother, G. W. 

 Verrill, at Norway, Me., July 4th, 1862, which confii-ms the opinion 

 previously expressed in regard to the identity of the two forms. In 

 this individual (No. 1154, M. C. Z.), which is also a female, the tail is 

 distinctly bicolored, with the lower surface light gray, and even nearly 

 white near the base, and the upper side very dark brown Uke the back, 

 resembUng thus Richardson's specimen very closely, as it does, also, in 

 proportions. The back and whole upper surface of the body is very 

 dark brown or almost black ; the abdomen brownish gray ; throat 

 light gray ; chin and upper lips white ; the feet smoky brown above, 

 and more thickly clothed with short appressed hairs than in the spec- 

 imen previously described, with which it agrees very closely in all 

 other characters. This specimen seems, however, to be more com- 

 pletely adult, the size being somewhat greater and the teeth more 

 strongly colored with dark chestnut, including even the fifth upper 

 premolar, which is, nevertheless, quite invisible from the outside ; in 

 relative size and form of the teeth, this does not differ from the speci- 

 men already described, except that the lobes and serrations are more 

 sharply defined. The tail is distinctly quadrangular. 



PROCEEDINGS B. S. N. H.— VOL. IX. 15 JULY, 1863. 



