CROCIDURA ARANEA. 43 



reddish tinge ; all the lower parts clear ashy, running gra- 

 dually into the shade of the upper parts ; whiskers nu- 

 merous and very fine ; ears very large, distinctly longer 

 than the fur, covered with very small whitish hairs. 



Entire length, 2 inches 6 lines to 2 inches 9 lines ; 

 body, 1 inch 7 lines to 1 inch 10 lines ; tail, 11 lines. 



Is supposed to be the smallest known quadruped. 



Discovered in Tuscany by Professor Savi ; found also in 

 the hills near Eome in dry situations. Crespon, in his 

 ' Faune Meridionale,' mentions that two were found near 

 Nismes in the South of France. 



Crocidura aranea. 



Crocidura aranea, De Selys, Mieromm. 



Sorex araneus, Sohinz, Europ. Faun. ; Keys, und Blas. ; Desm. 



Mamm. Sp. 232. 

 La Musaraigne, Buffon. 



Description. — Teeth in number 28, all white ; four inter- 

 mediate teeth in the upper jaw. Fur mouse-grey above, 

 passing gradually into whitish ash beneath; tail of the same 

 colour, clothed with short hairs, with longer hairs scattered 

 among them, shorter than the body ; feet light ashy ; ears 

 well developed, disengaged from the fur, covered with very 

 short hairs, ashy on the upper lobe, whitish on the lower ; 

 toes and tip of snout flesh-coloured; albinos and spotted 

 varieties sometimes occur; and in some individuals the 

 belly is white, and the general tinge of the fur more or 

 less of a red-brown. 



Entire length, 4 inches to 4 inches 2 lines ; body, 

 2 inches 8 lines to 2 inches 11 lines ; tail, 1 inch 4 lines. 

 — F. M. 



Frequents gardens and the neighbourhood of houses. 



Inhabits the greater part of Europe, but is not known 

 in Sweden or the British Islands. Is common in Eussia, 



