NEOMYS 67 



in species of Sorex of approximately the same size, noticeably 

 broadened ; digits proportioned as in Sorex araneus but gradua- 

 tion less ; soles and palms completely bare, their surface strongly 

 tuberculo-reticulate ; pads 6-6, much as in Sorex araneus but 

 more widely spaced and better defined. At edge of soles and 

 toes the hairs are elongated to form a dense, conspicuous fringe. 

 Tail terete or slightly four-sided, its hairs minute, flattened, and 

 closely appressed, nearly concealing the rather indistinct annula- 

 tions, of which there are about 25 to the centimeter at middle ; 

 pencil evident, usually about 3 to 5 mm. in length. Along 

 median line of tail below, from extreme base to tip, the hairs 

 are so crowded, elongated, and directed inward as to form a 

 distinct, low keel, the presence of which is often made more 

 evident by the nearly bare condition of the skin immediately 

 at each side of it. Mammas : a 2-2, i 2-2 = 8. 



Colour. — Entire underparts a dark slaty grey, more bluish 

 in summer, more blackish in winter, the individual hairs blackish- 

 slate with seal-brown tips and a sub-terminal lighter area of 

 varying distinctness. Underparts usually whitish in strong 

 contrast with back, the line of demarcation everywhere evident, 

 and on head passing just below base of ear and extending along 

 upper lip to nostril. The underparts, while never so dark as 

 back, are often strongly suffused with bufly, smoky, or wood- 

 brown, and occasionally tinged with salmon-colour. A small 

 whitish tuft usually springs from inner surface of ear, and a 

 minute speck of the same colour is generally present behind eye. 

 Feet thinly sprinkled with silvery grey hairs. Tail a dark 

 indefinite brown above, slightly less dark below, the keel usually 

 a silver grey, sometimes standing out in strong contrast against 

 the dark surrounding parts. 



Skull. — The skull differs from that of Sorex araneus in larger 

 size, relatively larger, more inflated brain- 

 case (depth decidedly more than half breadth), 

 and lower, more flattened rostrum and 

 interorbital region. The brain-case is sub- 

 circular in outline, though distinctly flattened 

 antero-externally and postero-externally ; in 

 front it is marked off from interorbital 

 region by a conspicuous, well defined angle. 

 In lateral view the profile of brain-case is 

 high and rounded posteriorly, low anteriorly 

 where it passes by a distinct, often conspicu- 

 ously abrupt curve into the nearly flat dorsal 

 outline of interorbital region and rostrum. 

 Anteorbital foramen relatively larger and more l °' t j- 



widely open than in the European species of .Nat. size. 



Sorex. Lachrymal foramen over posterior 

 half of m 1 . Mesopterygoid space decidedly more than half as 

 wide as long ; hamular processes shorter than in Sorex araneus 



f 2 



