ii6 SORICID^— SOREX 



to which the names of the collectors are appended. Kinnear took a pair 

 of scales to Orkney with the express purpose of weighing this mammal. 

 Skull: — Greatest length, i6; basal length in middle line, 13; 

 palatal length in middle line, 6 ; length of upper tooth-series, 6-5 • 

 ditto of lower, 6 ; greatest breadth, 7 to 7-8 ; breadth at constriction, 2-5 

 to 3. 



Proportionate lengths: — Tail (without end hairs), about -65 to -7 of 

 head and body; hind foot about -ly to -18, and ear about -i of head 

 and body. 



The weight, when compared with that of the Common Shrew, 

 shows that the Pygmy is a much lighter animal in proportion to its 

 dimensions even than the measurements would suggest. Nine weighed 

 by Adams in October 1910 averaged 5, with maximum of 6 and 

 minimum of 4-2 grammes. The weight therefore is to the head and 

 body length as i to 11, whereas in 5. araneus it is about as i to 6; 

 so that the average weight of each millimetre of head and body length 

 is only -ii as against -6 grammes in 5. araneus. 



Adams finds that the weights and dimensions undergo a seasonal 

 variation corresponding to that of the Common Shrew. He finds also 

 that in such tiny animals the weight is seriously affected by the 

 emptiness or fullness of the stomach, and even more so by advanced 

 pregnancy. 



The distinguishing characters have been given in some detail in 

 the description. The smaller size, especially that of the foot, longer and 

 thicker nose and tail, plainer coloration, and the size and pattern of the 

 teeth are the most conspicuous. 



The Lesser or Pygmy Shrew has until now been classed as 

 the tiniest of British mammals, and in fact it is one of the smallest 

 of the whole class. It is more minute than the Harvest-mouse, 

 and even on the European continent only one non-volant 

 mammal, also a shrew,-' is more diminutive. It appears, 

 however, that its weight is about the same as, or greater 

 than, that of some of the smaller bats, such as the Pipis- 

 trelle, and possibly also the Whiskered. But the point must 

 be left undecided until more accurate information becomes 

 available. The extreme length of its body is no less character- 

 istic than its diminutive size. 



It is probably due to its small size that the Pygmy Shrew 

 for so long escaped the attention of British naturalists. It was 

 generally mistaken for the young of its larger congener, so that 



1 Pachyura etrusca (Savi). 



