150 INSECTIVOEA. 



Genus Anurosorex/ A. M.-Edwards. 

 Antjrosoeex assamensis, Andr., Plate v, figs. 1 — 16. 



Anurosorex assamensis, Andr. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist^ 1875, vol. xvi. p. 282. 



TMs remarkable modification of the ordinary type of Soricine structure was first 

 made known by Adolphe M.-Edwards in his admirable Memoir on the Eauna of 

 Tibet. 



Before Ms description of the genus had reached Calcutta, Mr. S. E. Peal had 

 obtaiaed in Assam, between Seebsaugor and Jeypur, in about 27° north latitude, a 

 small shrew-like animal remarkable for the great size of its head, its nude, scaly 

 extremities, and its extremely short, nude, scaly tail, which he forwarded to the 

 Indian Museum, Calcutta. I recognised it as a new generic form^ allied by its 

 dentition to Diplomesodon, Brandt. 



The type of the genus, A. sqtiamipes, A. M.-Edwards, is very abundant in the 

 plains and mountains of Tibet and Se-tchouan, but as the physical characters 

 and climatological conditions of these two provinces of China are very difi'erent 

 from those which distinguish Assam, it was to be expected if the same generic 

 type occurred in Assam that it would present certain specific modifications on 

 its more northern fellow — a conclusion which is fully borne out by a careful com- 

 parison of the two. 



The structure of the ear, limbs, and taU has special reference to a burrowing 

 habit of the animal, the ear being valvular, so that it may be effectually closed 

 against the entrance of foreign substances, and the feet devoid of hair, but scaly, 

 and the tail reduced to very small dimensions. The eye also is excessively small 

 and buried deep in the dense silky fur. The hiad feet, contrary to what is almost 

 invariably the case in burrowing mammals, are larger than the fore feet. 



The Assam form appears to be considerably smaller than the Tibetan species, and 

 to differ from it in its proportionally greater head, slightly longer tail, and in the 

 fore feet not exceeding the hind feet in breadth and strength : moreover it is distin- 

 guished by a differently coloured fur. 



The semi-nude parts of the snout, the scaly limbs, and taU, are flesh-coloured. 

 The claws are yellow. The fur is set nearly erect, is fine, dense, and silky. It is 

 longest on the rump, where it projects backwards a considerable way over the 

 tail, almost luding it. Numerous strong hahs protrude beyond the general mass of 

 the fur, and are brown with obscure pale tips. Whiskers well developed. Shorter 

 hairs above and between the eyes. The general colour of the fur is dark slaty, 

 faintly washed with brownish rusty on the long hairs of the rump. 



Total length: snout to vent, 2'92 inches; fore foot, '50; hind foot, '75; 

 tail, -50. 



> Anurosorex, A. M.-Edwards, Compt. Rend. 1870, kx. p. 341, et Eech. des Mammif. 1868,-74, p. 264. 

 ' Pygmura, Audr, Proc. Zool. Soo. Loud. 1873, p. 9. 



