﻿64 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[No. 10. 



dusky above and all round at tip, pale brownish below on basal two- 

 thirds. In one pelage the colors are duller, the under parts brownish 

 and the side stripe indistinct. Minnesota specimens have the side 

 stripe buffy ash or with the faintest possible tinge of fulvous, and the 

 belly ash gray. 



Cranial and dental characters. — Skull similar to that of ftimeus, but 

 slightly larger (20 mm. by 9.3 mm.); rostrum and brain case higher; 

 constriction higher and narrower; anterior part of rostrum longer and 

 more pinched in laterally, making the unicuspid series more nearly 

 parallel ; interpterygoid fossa narrower ; anterior opening of infraorbital 

 canal smaller and situate far forward, over front of m^ ; lachrymal canal 

 opening over middle of m' instead of over interspace between m^ and 

 m'^, as in fumeus ; molariform teeth much less deeply excavated pos- 

 teriorly; unicuspidate teeth very much heavier and more swollen, and 

 lacking the distinct vertical ridge on inner side. 



Measurements. — Average of 25 specimens from South Edmonton, 

 Alberta (assumed to be near the type locality) : Total length, 113.2 mm. ; 

 tail vertebrae, 40.4 mm. ; hind foot, 13.9 mm. Average of 3 from Win- 

 gard, Saskatchewan (near Carlton House): Total length, 112.7 mm.; 

 tail vertebme, 41.3 mm.; hind foot, 14 mm. 



General remarks. — This large saddle-back Shrew hardly requires 

 comparison with any other species, though specimens in the dull pelage 

 sometimes resemble the brown pelage of fumens. The two may 

 always be distinguished by the cranial characters above given. 



Specimens examined. — Total number, 114, from the following localities: 

 Manitoba: Carberry, 2. 



Alberta : South Edmontou, 25 ; St. Albert, 31 ; Island Lake, near Lake St. Ann, 3. 

 Assiniboia; Indian Head, 1. 

 Saskatchewan: Wingard, 4, 



Minnesota: Bridgman, 1; Elk River, 44; Minneapolis, 3. 



SOREX SPHAGNICOLA Cones. 



Sorex sphagnicola Coues, Precursory Notes American Insectivorous Mammals, Bull. 



U. S. Geol. and Geog. Surv., Vol. Ill, p. 650, May 15, 1887. 

 Sorex helli Dobson MS., 1885; Merriam, Proc. Biol. Soc.Wash., VII, 25, 1892 {nomen 



nudum). 



Type locality. — Vicinity of Fort Liard, British Columbia (about lati- 

 tude 60O). 



OeograpMc distribution. — Sub- Arctic America from extreme northern 

 British Columbia (and probably Alaska) to Hudson Bay. 



General characters. — Size medium (hind foot 13.5 mm.) ; tail decidedly 

 shorter than body without head ; unicuspids large and gradually dimin- 

 ishing (fourth smaller than third) ; fur remarkably long and full (9 mm. 

 on back) ; tail large, of uniform diameter from base to tip, and densely 

 haired; no fringe on feet; claws conspicuous. 



Color. — Upper parts rich, dark seal-brown, almost sooty black, dark- 

 est on rump and palest on head; color of upper parts extending well 

 down on sides, leaving a rather narrow strii^ of grayish brown along 



