164 Report on the Mammalia and more remarkable [No. 2, 



with colourless teeth and scattered long hairs on the tail ; the ears 

 scarcely visible beyond the fur ; and the feet remarkably large. 

 Length about 6^ in., of which the tail is 2\ in. ; hind-foot with claws 

 nearly £ in. ; the fore-foot \ in. broad, with long and but slightly 

 curved claws, that of the middle digit \ in. in length. Fur somewhat 

 long and very soft, uniform blackish, very faintly tinged rufescent ; the 

 extreme tip of the tail dull white in the only specimen examined. 

 Teeth small : the upper quasi-incisors shorter and less strongly hooked 

 than in the typical Sorices, with the posterior spur large ; the lower 

 quasi-incisors serrated, shewing two depressions, and therefore a row 

 of three coronal points. Behind the upper false incisors a series of 

 four small praemolars precedes the carnassiez, the two medial being of 

 equal size, the first rather large, and the fourth smaller ; and below 

 are the usual two (inclusive of the carnassiez), as in the genus gene- 

 rally. Accordingly, this species cannot be brought satisfactorily under 

 any of the subdivisions of Sorex yet instituted ; and its very large 

 feet, more especially, indicate that it should form a particular subdivi- 

 sion. Both this and the preceding species are found at Newera Elia 

 and to 1000 ft. below.* 



In additon to S. murinus, S. montanus, and S. macropus in 

 Ceylon, Dr. Kelaart writes that he has lately received two specimens 

 of a large black Shrew double the size of the last, which he also consi- 

 ders to be distinct and probably undescribed. 



* The Shrews have very anomalous dentition ; and we consider their quasi- 

 incisors above and below to be modified premolars. The upper canines appear to 

 be wanting throughout the order, and the lower canines when present are generally 

 small, the first prsemolar above and sometimes below being magnified to assume 

 the form and fulfil the function of canines (vide XIX, p. 216). In the Shrews 

 no intermaxillary bones have been traced at any age, and therefore the upper front 

 teeth are decidedly not incisors, as they are generally termed : if canines, they 

 would be an anomaly throughout the order ; and extracted from the socket they 

 have more the character of prsemolars, exhibiting a second fang coalescent or 

 imperfectly separated, (i. e. originally distinct, no doubt,) proceeding from the 

 posterior spur or cusp. The lower front teeth have also two coalescent fangs, 

 shewing a broad and deep median groove on the inner side, and a similar but less 

 extended groove on the outer. Thus, at least, in S. murtnus. It is not unlikely 

 that in some of the other species (or subgeneric forms) the two fangs may be per- 

 manently separate. 



