27 i J. Anderson — J^eiv and lit fie hioivn Asiatic SJireivs. [No. 3, 



doubtless due to the blood of the i^ulp coagulating in the tooth and shining 

 through the translucent structure, as the teeth of none of these specimens 

 which are undoubtedly identical with S. melanodon ever exhibited any trace 

 of jDigment on the outer surface of the teeth. 



It inhabits Lower Bengal (Calcutta) and the valley of the Brahma- 

 putra to Goalpara. 



Ceocidtjea (P.) NILaiEICA, n. s. 



Form small, slender. Head long, somewhat flattened ; snout rather 

 broad, but long and rather abruptly rounded towards the nostrils. Snout 

 densely haired, and moustachial bristles rather numerous. Ears of moder- 

 ate size and not hidden, rounded and sparsely clad with short hairs. Limbs 

 clad to the wrist and ankle, and the upper surface of the feet sparsely clad, 

 Claws well developed and sharp ; pads of feet rather prominent. Tail 

 equals about the length from the vent to the front of the shoulder, not 

 swollen at the base, finely ringed, about 12 to 13 rings to the one-tenth of 

 an inch ; numerous short strong hairs between the rings, with scattered, 

 long black hairs. Fur short, dense and velvety ; general colour, snout, ears, 

 tail and upper surface of limbs, deep fuliginous velvety black, paler below 

 with a silvery lustre. Claws yellowish. 



Adult male. 



Length from tip of snout to vent, in. 178 



„ of tail, 1-12 



„ of hind foot, 0-35 



Height of ear, « 0*15 



Breadth of ear, 0*15 



The skull proves this specimen to be fully adult, as the sutures on the 

 base of the cranium are obliterated. A small portion of the occipital has 

 been broken off, but sufficient remains on one side to indicate that the fora- 

 men magnum has been very large ; measured from the inferior border of the 

 foramen magnum to the end of the palate anteriorly, the total length of 

 the adult skull is only 0*45. The condyles are large, and there is a consi- 

 derable concavity or depression immediatel}'- over the temporal fossa. The 

 most marked feature of the skull is the character of the teeth, more espe- 

 cially of the first upper incisor which is short and but little if at all 

 hooked and destitute of the marked eminence at its base posteriorly which 

 is so distinctive of the generality of shrews. There is a slight indication 

 of the position of the eminence on the outer side of the tooth, but no more, 

 and the tip of the first intermediate tooth is but little below the basal 

 portion of the first inoisor, and the immediately succeeding teeth gradually 

 diminish in size to the fourth intermediate tooth which is well developed, 



I 



