94 



long ; the fourth smaller and shorter ; the first is larger than the fifth. 

 The palms are about as broad as long, exclusive of the claws ; these are 

 long and fossorial, and much larger than those of the hind feet. The 

 hind feet are narrower and weaker than the fore, although about the 

 same length. The under surfaces of all the feet are perfectly smooth, 

 the upper with scanty hairs; there is a ciliated border of short hairs 

 about the posterior and lateral margin of the palm. The fur is long and 

 full, the longest hairs on the back measuring .35 inch. Above the fur is 

 a dark ashy, plumbeous from the roots, glossed with ashy brown ; this 

 ashy brown tinge is more decided beneath, and extends more towards 

 the roots ; towards the chin there is a slight tinge of reddish brown. The 

 hairs on the sides and extremity of the tail are tipped with silvery. 



Prof. Baird mentions a specimen from Cleveland, presented by Prof. 

 Kirtland, which had the tail almost entirely wJiite, and the fur with 

 whitish patches distributed irregularly over the body. Prof. Baird gives 

 the distribution of this species as from Connecticut and New York to 

 Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. F. W. Langdon has a specimen in his collection, 

 taken by J. W. Shorten, at Rome, Adams county, Ohio, in May, 1877. 



FAMILY SORICID^. 



In addition to the characters already given, based principally on the 

 teeth and skeleton, the following more appreciable external characters 

 are selected : 



The Shrews are Mouse-like Ineectivora, distinguished by an elongated 

 and pointed muzzle, extending some distance beyond the incisor teeth, 

 and ending in a naked cartilaginous muffle, with the nostrils pierced in 

 the sides. The eyes are minute, and usually hidden in the fur, but are 

 apparent on close examination. External ears are developed, with two 

 inner lobes protecting the meatus ; one lobe is formed from the antit- 

 ragus, the other by the helix. "The feet are five-toed, each toe with a 

 distinct claw ;.the fore feet are little, if at all, broader than the hind feet ; 

 feet nearly plantigrade, and naked beneath. The external ears and 

 smaller anterior feet readily separate the Shrews from the Moles. 



Besides the above, the stomach is simple; the csecum wanting; liver 

 five-lobed, with a gall-bladder ; the right lung four, and the left one-lobed. 

 There is a peculiar glandular organ near the fore legs, on each side, 

 wanting or small in the female or young, and much developed in the 

 male during the breeding season. " The peculiar odor, more or less 

 musky, of Soricidx, is due to the secretion of these glands, and makes 

 the Shrew-Mouse unacceptable as food to the cat that may have killed 

 it." (Owen.) 



The teeth vary from 28 to 32 ; there are two large incisor teeth in each 



