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NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[No. 10. 



Color. — Dusky or sooty, darkest ou back and rump; under x)arts 

 faintly washed with brownish; feet and tail blackish. 



Cranial and dental characters. — Skull in size, angularity, and general 

 characters almost indistinguishable from that of Blarina caroliiiensis^ 

 except that the brain case and occiput are higher. The brain case is 

 inflated and rises abruptly above plane of rostrum. Cusps of unicuspi- 

 date teeth relatively slender and pointed, that of the second vertical or 

 inclined slightly backward; cusplet on inner side strongly developed 

 and chestnut-tipped. Upper molariform teeth ou\y slightly concave 

 posteriorly. Chestnut tips of all the teeth strong and extending well 

 down. 



Measitrements. — Average of 22 specimens from Jico, Vera Cruz 

 (practically the type locality): Total length, 99 mm.; tail vertebrae, 

 27 mm. ; hind foot, 13.3 mm. 



General remarlcs. — So far as known, Blarina rnexicana is the most 

 widely dispersed species of the genus inhabiting southern Mexico. It 

 is common in damp oak forests on the mountains, where its runways 

 resemble those of Microtus. The typical form is from Jalapa, Vera 

 Cruz, near the southeastern base of the table-land. Most of the colo 

 nies from isolated mountains differ appreciably from the type, and in 

 several the differentiation has gone so far as to necessitate subspecific 

 recognition, as in the forms here described under their names maclietes^ 

 peregrinus, and goldmani. 



Concerning the habits of the typical form Mr. i^'elson writes : 



This Shrew was rather common about Jico, and still more numerous along the 

 lower border of the oak forest between the altitudes of 5,500 and 6,000 feet. Near 

 Jico they were found mainly in Arvicola runways along the border of the canyons 

 or along ditches bordering fields. They were also found with Eelihvodontomys and 

 Sitomys along the lower border of the oak forest. They live in damp situations 

 grown up rankly with grass and weeds. In seyeral places their little trails were 

 found threading their way among the plant stems and terminating in a small hole 

 at each end. 



Specimens examined. — Total number, 110, from the following locali- 

 ties in southern Mexico : 



State of Vera Cruz: Jalapa (type), 1; Jico, 29; Las Vigas, 2; Orizaba, 11. 

 State of Oaxaca: Reyes, 13; Cerro San Felipe, 22; near Cajones, 2; Toton- 

 tepec, 9; Mount Zemi)oaltepec, 24. 



BLARINA MEXICANA PEREGRINA subsp. nov. 



Type from mountains 15 miles west of city of Oaxaca, Mexico (altitude, 9,500 feet). 

 No. 68317, ^ ad., U. S. Nat. Mus., Department of Agriculture collection, Collected 

 September 12, 1894, by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman, Original number, 6748. 



General characters. — Similar to B. rnexicana in size and color, but 

 with distinctive dental characters. 



Color. — Dusky or sooty black, becoming slightly paler below. 



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

 rostrum less swollen ; unicuspidate teeth with inner cusplet nearly obso- 



