1855.] A Memoir on the Indian species of Shrews, 31 



Colour a uniform sordid or brownish slaty-blue, extending to the 

 clad extremities. Snout to rump 3i in. ; tail 2| in. ; planta ff in. 

 This animal was caught in a wood plentifully watered, but not near 

 the water. It had no musky smell when brought to me dead." 

 Hab, Nepal and Sikim. 



5. S. nemorivagus, Hodgson, Ann. Mag. N. H. XV, 269. 

 Differs from the ordinary type " by a stouter make, by ears smaller, 

 and legs entirely nude, and by a longer and more tetragonal tail. 

 Colour sooty-black with a vague reddish smear; the nude parts 

 fleshy-grey. Snout to rump 3f in. ; tail 2 in. ; planta, -j-^- in. 

 Found only in woods and coppices." Nepal. According to Dr. 

 Gray, an example presented to the British Museum by Mr. Hodgson, 

 as of this species, " is probably only a half-grown specimen of S. 

 murinus" (i. e. c^erulescens) !* The foregoing description should 

 indicate a very different animal ; but which might be mistaken for 

 the young of S. murinus (verus), and such probably is the supposed 

 S. murinus from Nepal of Dr. Horsfield's Catalogue. 



6. S. heterodon, nobis, n. s. Very similar to S. soccatus in 

 general appearance, but less dark-coloured, with shorter fur, and 

 pale instead of blackish feet and tail underneath : the feet, too, are 

 broader, especially the hind-feet ; and they have a hairy patch 

 below the heel. The skull, of the same length as in S. soccatus, 

 and with equally large teeth, is much more narrow, and the upper 

 quasi-incisors are conspicuously less strongly hooked than in that 

 and other typical sorices. Prom Cherra Punji, in the Khasya hills. 



7. S. niger, Elliot ; described in Dr. Horsfield's Catalogue 

 (1851). " Length of the head and body 3| in. ; of tail 2| in. Tail 

 equal in length to the entire animal, exclusive of the head ; gradu- 

 ally tapering to a point. Snout greatly attenuated. Colour black- 

 ish-brown, with a rufescent shade to the upper parts : abdomen 

 greyish. Prom Madras" (Qu. Madras Presidency ?). 



* We made a description of the identical specimen, before it was taken by Mr. 

 Hodgson to England : viz. — " Of a shining rufescent-brown colour, merely weaker 

 on the under-parts. Length '.\l in. ; of tail 1 J in. : fore-feet and claws £ in. ; the 

 claws alone | in., and of a yellow colour, perhaps whitish in the fresh animal : 

 hind-feet and claws £ in." 



