THE COMMON SHREW 87 



material upon which these records were based has shown that in all 

 cases the specimens are referable to other and extinct forms (see above, 

 under genus Sorex, p. 80). 



Description (taken from 250 British specimens) : — In form the 

 Common Shrew is typical of its genus (see above, p. yy, etc.). The body 

 is shortened and the back elevated when at rest, but capable of con- 

 siderable extension when the animal runs. The rounded pinna of the 

 ear is small, and scarcely visible above the fur. The whiskers or vibrissae 

 are well developed and reach a length of 12 mm. 



The hand and foot (Plate VHI.) have the soles naked, but covered 

 with small tubercles, and the under side of the digits transversely 

 corrugated. Except that the hand is much shorter than the foot, 

 the general plan of each is similar. The central digit is slightly 

 longer than the fourth, and the fourth than the second. These 

 three digits arise from about the same position ; the first and fifth 

 are much shorter, especially the first, and arise well behind the other 

 three. The tip of the first (both in hand and foot) reaches only to 

 about the pad at the base of the second ; the fifth reaches just beyond 

 the base of the fourth (compare Lesser Shrew below, p. 112). There 

 are six prominent pads, placed one each at the bases of digits one, 

 two and five, one at the junction of digits three and four, and two 

 posteriorly on the sole, one each behind the pads of digits one 

 and five. 



The tail varies in length, but is generally about half as long as the 

 head and body ; it is often four-sided, the angles being rounded, not 

 sharp ; it is of nearly equal diameter throughout its length, not 

 tapering to the extremity ; it is covered throughout its length with a 

 number of short, closely set, and rather stiff hairs, but is without the 

 inferior " keel " of Neomys fodiens (see Plate IX., Fig. 2, and Plate X., 

 Fig. 2, for head; for tail, Plate VII., Fig. 2; for hand and foot, 

 Plate VIII., Figs, i and 2 ; for ear, Plate VI., Fig. i). 



The fur is thick, soft, and silky, reaching on the back in winter a 

 length of about 5 mm., but being about 2 mm. shorter in summer. 



The colour of the upper side from the back of the head or occiput 

 to the base of the tail is in winter usually very deep "seal brown," 

 almost "clove brown," passing rather suddenly on the flanks into a 

 band, about 7 mm. broad, of "broccoli brown," or "wood brown," 

 and thence insensibly without line of demarcation, into the dirty 

 or yellowish white of the underside and feet. The dorsal area of brown 

 is broadest over the lumbar region and narrowest just behind the 

 shoulders. The face, and sometimes the head, is lighter than the back. 

 The line of demarcation is indistinct, and runs from a point anterior 

 to the angle of the mouth on each side to the shoulder, whence it 

 coincides with the upper border of the above-described " flank-band," 



