62 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



which so much has been written in popular papers of late. The 

 red specimens, of which there are also several in the collection, 

 are females. Of special interest are a number (15) of black 

 specimens, all from the island of Seeland, where they appear to 

 be of common occurrence. Most of them are males, and I have 

 satisfied myself that the melanism is usually obtained, in that 

 sex, by the expansion of the black markings, as is proved beyond 

 a doubt by some intermediate specimens, among which is one 

 having the black of the back, formed by the expansion of the 

 vertebral band, separated from that of the sides, formed by the 

 coalescence of the lateral spots, by a narrow light brown undulous 

 stripe. In females, on the other hand, as well as occasionally in 

 males, the black is produced by gradual darkening of the ground 

 colour ; so that in most cases, under certain lights, the typical 

 markings may still be detected. So far as we know at present, 

 the former type of melanism is not found in Great Britain ; all 

 the specimens hitherto examined are of the latter type, and 

 females. 



These observations confirm those previously made by Geithe 

 in Germany. Fatio had also observed among the Vipera aspis of 

 Switzerland that some are black through darkening of the ground 

 colour, and others through enlargement and confluence of the 

 markings. 



In all the black specimens at least a few dots of whitish are 

 visible on the lips, and of yellow under the end of the tail. The 

 belly is black or dark bluish grey, uniform or with small whitish 

 or reddish spots ; specimens about to cast their skin may have 

 the ventrals almost white, with the outer ends blackish brown. 

 With tew exceptions the end of the tail is bright yellow or orange 

 beneath. 



ON THE PKOPER SPECIFIC NAMES OF THE COMMON 

 SHREWS OF ENGLAND AND THE CONTINENT. 



By Oldfikld Thomas, F.Z.S. 



The extraordinary laxity which prevails in the nomenclature 

 of Mammals is nowhere better illustrated than in the cases of the 

 Common, Pigmy, and White -toothed Shrews, all three of which 

 have constantly been referred to by names which have over and 

 over again been shown to be untenable, and the present note may 



