1915.] 



INTEODUCTIOlSr. 



15 



wound and partly encloses it; winter pelage surrounding the patches 

 is in both specimens long and well developed, in marked contrast 

 with the short fur of delayed growth. A male ^ from Connecticut, in 

 somewhat premature molt, has the entire dorsal parts in fresh 

 pelage except a patch about 30 mm. in diameter on the right shoul- 

 der; the anterior three-fifths of the ventral parts are in old pelage, 

 and this extends well up the sides. A postbreeding female, ^ the 

 molting of which has already been mentioned by True, ^ is in retarded, 

 muoh-wom winter pelage, except the posterior half of the back, 

 anterior to the rump, and a very small portion of the abdomen, 

 which are in rather incomplete spring pelage. 



The sequence of molting in Scapanus is less definite than in 

 Scalopus. The differences of color, texture, and length of hair be- 

 tween the old and new pelages of Scapanus are usually shght; often 

 the line of demarcation separating the two pelages is scarcely dis- 

 tinguishable, and seldom sharp as in Scalopus. The sequence of 

 molting on the various parts of the body appears in a few cases to be 

 not unlike that of Scalopus, the underparts molting first, followed 

 consecutively by the sides and back. More frequently, however, the 

 new pelage appears first on the head and throat, then works down 

 over the nape and back, encroaching last upon the abdomen; or, as 

 is shown most beautifully in a specimen ^ of Scapanus latimanus 

 latimanus from Petroha, Cal., the new pelage may appear simul- 

 taneously in separate patches upon head, back, and rump. 



The material has been inadequate to show anything definite re- 

 garding the method and sequence of molting in Parascalops, but the 

 specimens examined seem to indicate that these processes are not 

 unhke corresponding processes in Scalopus. 



, The new fur of Condylura generally appears first on the posterior 

 part of the flanks, but the body sequence is inconstant; the molt on 

 the flanks usuaUy spreads forward and ventrally, while at the same 

 time on the back fresh pelage replaces the old, which sloughs off in 

 irregular blotches. Probably in most cases the ventral parts are in 

 fresh pelage before the major portion of the back has molted; a small 

 posterior rump patch is almost invariably the last to molt. The 

 contrast between new and old pelages during the spring molt is 

 marked; the autumnal molt, however, is often difficult to detect. 



In the genus NeurotricTius, new pelage ordinarily first replaces the 

 old on top of the head; this is soon followed by the molting of the 

 posterior part of the back almost simultaneously with the beginning 



1 No. 4276, Mus. Comp. ZooL, Bangs collection; cf adult, collected Februrary, 21, 1896, at Liberty Hill, 

 Conn. 



2 No. 22858, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey collection; collected July 1, 1SS8, at Washington, D. C. 



3 True, r. W., Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 19, p. 37, 1896. 



* No. 140706, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey collection; cf adult, collected Nov. 6, 1905. 



