202 MAMMALIA. 



Genus SORICULUS, Blyth, 1855. 



A small shrew with red-tipped teeth, and the follow- 

 ing dentition : ^ + f+f+f=30. The first upper incisors 

 with a prominent cusp at their posterior portion, and a 

 small cusp or talon internally on the vertical portion. Lower 

 incisors with a prominent cusp over their base. Snout mode- 

 rately long, and tapering : nostrils not prominent. Ear almost 

 completely hidden : antitragus acting as a valve. Feet mode- 

 rately or well developed, scaly, partially haired. Tail mouse- 

 like, scaly, ringed, tetragonal, no long hairs, pencillated at the 

 tip. No lateral gland. Fur dense and velvety. Skull with 

 a short orbito-temporal fossa, and with two articular surfaces 

 for the lower jaw, upper zygomatic, and a lower post- 

 glenoid. 



The skull of this genus is very diflPerent in form from the 

 skull of Crocidura. It is a much lighter skull and without 

 ridges, and has more the form of the skull of Talpa, but 

 without the zygomatic arch and any trace of an orbital process. 

 The temporal fossa is very short ; and the preorbital foramen 

 is spanned by a broad ai'ch of bone. The occipital region is 

 forwardly tilted, but not to the same extent as in Talpa. 

 There is a prominent angle immediately external to the 

 tympanic, and from this angle a feeble ridge runs forwards 

 to the beginning of the temporal fossa, and bears on its 

 under surface anteriorly a facet, which looks forwards, outwards, 

 and downwards, and which receives the upper division of the 

 condyle of the mandible. The./b/awiera magnum is very broad 

 from above downwards. The post-glenoid process is very 

 large, convex posteriorly and marked by a large foramen 

 (ovale ?). Its anterior surface is deeply concave and look$ 

 forwards and somewhat outwards, and bears an articular sur- 

 face for the reception of the lower division of the condyle 

 of the mandible, and this surface is in no way continuous 

 with the upper surface, but widely separated from it by a deep 

 notch. There is a minute foramen at the base of the post- 

 glenoid -process posteriorly. The posterior margin of .the 

 palate forms a thin fine convex ridge, a little^ behind the last 

 molar. 



The notches separating the articular surface of the divided 

 condyle are not so deep as in Chimarrogale. The process 

 of the angle is thin and moderately long, and directed back- 

 wards. 



