204 MAMMALIA. 



genus, and approaches in this respect to the humerus of Talpa, 

 The external tuberosity is hook-like and large, and there is a 

 prominent ridge from the head of the humerus dividing the 

 front of the boiie in two, and terminating on its external 

 margin near the middle of the bone. Opposite to this point, on 

 the inner border of the bone, is a large, somewhat anteriorly 

 directed process, prolonged downwards from the inner 

 tuberosity of the head of tlie bone. The lower end of the 

 bone is very broad, and the inner condyle is widely pro- 

 longed. The character of the humerus indicates a buiTOwing 

 habit of life, which seems probable from the long and nearly 

 straight claws, which have none of the hooked, grasping 

 character of an arboreal mammal. Radius and ulna distinct. 

 The manubrium is T-shaped with a sharp ridge down its 

 centre. There are five mesosternal pieces. As in Shrews gener- 

 ally, the clavicle does not articulate with the humerus. Tibia 

 and fibula united. 



It is evident that its affinities are markedly soricine, but at 

 the same time it shows a few in the direction of Talpa. 



Length of vertebral column, atlas to last sacral . . in. 3'70 



„ of caudal vertebrae „ 1'57 



„ of scapula 0'43 



„ of humerus ......... 0'38 



„ of ulna „ 0-51 



„ of manns ......... 0*40 



„ of OS innominatum ....... 0°40 



of femur „ 0-45 



„ of tibia . . „ 0'60 



„ of pes . ,> 0-60 



249. Soriculus nigrescens. 



Corsisa nigrescens, Gray, Ann. 8f Mag. Nat. Mist., vol. x, 1843, p. 



261 ; Hodgson, Cat. B. M., 1846, p. 17 ; ibid., 2nd ed., 1863, p. 9 ; 



Sorsfield, Cat. Mamm. E. Ind. Co. Mms., 1851, p. 136. 

 Sores aterrimus, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng., vol. xii (1843), p. 928 ; 



ibid., vol. xxiii, 1854, p. 933, note. 

 Sorex nigrescens. Gray, Schreler. Saugeth., Suppl. Bd. v, 1855, p. 546, 



{j>artim). 

 Soriculus nigrescens, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc, vol. xxiii, 1854, p. 733 ; 



ibid., vol. xxiv, 1855, p. 36 ; Ann. ^ Mag. Nat. Hist., 2nd ser., vol. 



xvii, p. 24 ; Cat. Mamm. As. Soc. Beng., 1863, p. 86 ; Jerdon, 



Mamm. of India, 1867, p. 59. 

 Sorex sikkimensis, Hodgson, Ann. Sf Mag. Nat. Hist., new series, vol. 



iii, 1849, p. 203 ; Horsfleld, Cat. Mamm. E. Ind. Co. Mus., .1851. 



p. 136 ; Ann. S( Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. xvi, 1855, p. Ill ; Gray, Cat, 



Mamm. ofNepaul ; Hodgson, B. M., 1863, p. 8. 

 Crossopus nigrescens, (.Gray) Anderson, Froc. Zool. Soc, 1873, p. 232. 



Hab. Himalaya (Sikkim). 



Body rather abruptly terminated posteriorly ; snout short, 



