88 



INSECTIVORA 



CROCIDURA LEUCODON Hermann. 



1780. Sorex leucodon Hermann in Zimmermann, Geogr. Gesoh., n, 



p. 382 (vicinity of Strassburg, Germany). 



1781. Sorex leucodon Hermann in Schreber, Saugthiere, pi. clix. 



1782. Sor[ex~] leucodon Hermann, Tabula Affinitatum Animalium, p. 79 



(footnote). 

 1792. Sorex albipes Kerr, Anim. Kingd., p. 208 (based on Pennant's account 



of S. leucodon Hermann). 

 1832. Croc[idura] leucodon Wagler, Isis, p. 275. 

 1857. Crocidura leucodon Blasius, Saugethiere Deutschlands, p. 140. 

 1869. Leucodon microurus Patio, Paune Vert. Suisse, i, p. 173 (Substitute 



for leucodon). 

 1897. [Crocidura] leucodus Schulze, Mammalia Europaea, p. 18 (Substitute 



for leucodon). 

 1910. Crocidura russula leucodon Trouessart, Paune Mamm. d'Europe, p. 44. 



Type locality. — Vicinity of Strassburg, Germany. 



Geographical distribution. — Central Europe, from Belgium to 

 Hungary ; south into Italy. Not known from the Iberian 

 Peninsula. 



Diagnosis. — Size large (among the European species) ; hind 

 foot, 1 1 to 1 3 mm. ; condylobasal length of skull, 1 8 • 4 to 20 mm. ; 

 upper tooth-row, 8 • 8 to 9*0 mm. ; tail short, its actual length 

 28 to 38 mm., its ratio to head and body usually ranging from 

 38 to 43 ; skull with brain-case noticeably depressed, its height 

 less than half its width ; large upper premolar with antero- 

 external cusp rather large, its height usually greater than that 

 of first unicuspid ; colour of underparts whitish, strongly con- 

 trasted with rather slaty brown of back, the line of demarcation 

 along sides well defined. 



External characters.- — Fur shorter and more dense than in 

 Sorex araneus, the length of hairs at middle of back about 

 3 • 5 mm. in summer, 5 mm. in winter, its texture not specially 

 modified ; a few slightly elongated hairs (8 mm.) on flanks and 

 across rump. Eyes small and inconspicuous ; ears small but 

 rising conspicuously above fur, the two well developed valves a 

 conspicuous feature of the ear in freshly killed specimens. Feet 

 not peculiar in form ; less slender than in Sorex araneus, finely 

 pubescent on dorsal surface and on lateral portions of posterior 

 half of sole ; fingers proportioned as in S. araneus, but graduation 

 less, especially in hind foot ; pads 6-6, those on palm distinct 

 though somewhat crowded, the surface of palms and soles finely 

 rugose between the pads. Tail less slender than in Sorex and 

 Neomys, nearly terete or with under side somewhat flattened, 

 its length equal to about half that of head and body, its hairs of 

 two kinds : (a) finely appressed hairs less than 1 mm. in length, 

 nearly concealing the annulations and forming a very slight 

 pencil ; and (6) loosely spreading hairs about 5 mm. long, rather 

 thickly sprinkled among the others ; annulation ill-defined, 

 about 35 to the centimeter at middle. Mammas, i 3 — 3 = 6. 



