SPECIFIC NAMES OF COMMON SHREWS. 03 



be looked upon in the light of an appeal to zoologists in general 

 to use the names that are technically correct. For to go on using 

 names which, however familiar, are known to be wrong is the 

 one certain method of continuing the present confusion, to the 

 annoyance of our successors ; while boldly to adopt whatever names 

 are clearly shown to be correct will put a stop to the trouble once 

 for all, even if at the cost of a little temporary inconvenience to 

 ourselves. 



The present cases are all quite straightforward, and do not 

 involve any rules for zoological nomenclature about which dispute 

 is possible ; and when I recall the fact that Mr. Alston, in his 

 later papers, himself rejected two and clearly knew of the propriety 

 of changing the third of the names now objected to, few will be 

 found to resist the alterations proposed, except those who frankly 

 say they will stick to their familiar names right or wrong, and 

 with such persons there is no arguing. 



The Pigmy Shrew (properly Sorex minutus). 

 This animal has been commonly called Sorex pygmceus, Pall. 

 (1811), but was named Sorex minutus by Linnaeus in 176G, and 

 should consequently be known by the latter name. The identity 

 of the two has been universally admitted, and the late Mr. Alston, 

 who wrote of "Sorex minutus, Linn.," in his 'Fauna of Scotland,'* 

 was clearly right in so doing, and his example ought to be followed 

 by all. 



The Common Shrew (properly Sorex aranevs) and The Con- 

 tinental White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura russula). 



A similar mistake to the well-known one by which our Common 

 Hare (Lepus europceus) became christened with a name (L. timidus) 

 properly appertaining to the Varying Hare, has arisen in regard 

 to these two Shrews, and ought to be corrected. 



As in England, so in Scandinavia, the Shrews (apart from 

 Crossopus) are only represented by brown-toothed forms (Sorex as 

 restricted), and Linnaeus gave, in both the 10th and 12th editions 

 of his ' Systema Naturae,' the name of Sorex araneus to the com- 

 monest species, the one we know as the Common Shrew. But in 

 France and Germany, where the commonest Shrew is a white* 

 toothed one (Crocidura), the name araneus got misapplied to that, 



* Mamm. p. 10, 188 



