1877.] J. Anderson — New and little hioion Asiatic SJ/rews. 2()8 



condition of the bones of the skull, and I have judged those adult in which 

 the basi-occipital and basi-sphenoid bones have been united. This is the 

 last suture to disappear, and its obliteration in shrews is the only reliable 

 test of full maturity. In skulls, however, with this suture entirely lost, the 

 teeth very frequently do not present any marked indications of wear, so 

 that union takes place before the animals are aged. 



In all the newly born shrews that I have examined, the teeth have 

 never been through the gum, but they have always been so well developed 

 that the position, and in some cases the form, of each tooth was clearl}^ 

 defined. 



Genus CROCIDURA, Wagler. 



Sub-Genus PAcnTURA, Seli/s. 



(Lateral gland.) 



CrOCIDURA, (P.) FXJLVOCINEREA, n. S. 



Form of the body as in G. (P.) gigantea. 



The snout is long and pointed ; feet well developed and moderately 

 haired. Tail swollen at the base and rather long and densely haired. Snout 

 and feet yellowish, and lower portion of limbs with short sparse hairs, as 

 usual. Claws long and pointed. Fur dark-slaty in the hidden por- 

 tion, but broadly tipped w'th pale fawn producing a brownish-gray 

 mixed with tawny resembling the colour of Lepus cuniculus, but with a 

 distinct rusty tinge on the head. Under parts more grayish brown, with 

 a little tawny. Whiskers nearly all white, or pale gray. Hairs on the feet 

 and tail pale yellowish-brown or nearly white, the short tail hairs being rather 

 longer and much more numerous than is generally the case in the allied 

 species, and those at the tip occasionally longer. 



Adult ^ Adolescent 2 



Length, tip of snout to vent, in. 6*07 in. 4-35 



Vent to tip of tail, 3-90 283 



Length of hind foot without claws, I'OO 0*82 



Tip of snout to eye, 1-00 070 



Eyetoear, 0-57 035 



Height of ear, 0-50 0-35 



Breadth of ear, 0-41 0-40 



The first upper incisors are not very long ; their posterior process is on 

 a level with the third incisor and canine, and their longitudinal breadth about 

 equals the breadth of the base of the dependent portion of the teeth. There 

 is a small internal process of the cingulum. The second incisor is not very 

 large and is hardly twice the size of the third incisor. This last mentioned 



