SOREX CAPENSIS. — Geoff. St. Hil. 
Mammalia. — Plate XLY. 1. 
S. supra cinnereo-brunneus, subtus flavo-oinnereus ; rostro antice integro ; cauda breve cylindracea. 
Longitudo e rostri apice ad basin caudae 4 unc. ; caudae 1 unc. 5 lin. 
Sorex Capensis, Geoff. Annal de Mus. tom xvii., p. 184. 
Colour. — The upper and lateral parts of the head, the hack and upper 
parts of the sides, the extremities and the tail intermediate between broccoli- 
brown and chestnut-brown ; lower parts of sides, belly, breast, throat, chin, 
and inner surface of extremities intermediate between ash-grey and yellow- 
ish grey ; anterior surface of ears the colour of the body, only paler, posteiior 
surface flesh coloured ; muzzle brownish red ; whiskers partly liver-brown 
and partly bluish white ; claws horn -coloured. 
Form, &c. — Figure slender. Head small, and between the ears broad and 
arched, in this respect different from Sorex jiavescens, which is rather con- 
tracted. Muzzle moderately robust, the point bare and entire ; extremities 
slender ; tail cylindrical and slightly tapered to the point. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Inches. Lines. 
Length from the tip of the nose to 
the base of the tail 4 0 
of the tail 1 5 
Height when standing 1 3 
Inches. Lines 
Distance from the ear to the eye ... 0 5| 
the eye to the tip of 
the nose 0 5| 
When in Paris some few weeks ago, I was informed by M. Geoffroy St. Hillaire, that he con- 
sidered the Shrew which had been described as Sorex Capensis to be identical with Sorex Indicus, 
and he was of opinion that the individual which formed the type of the species was actually 
obtained from the Mauritius. The specimen here figured and described, however, was cer- 
tainly an inhabitant of the Cape of Good Hope, and as it is smaller than either the species 
which is found in the Mauritius or that which is known under the name Sorex Indicus, I have 
considered it as an example of the Sorex capensis of Geoff. It inhabits rocky situations in 
Southern Africa, and is found most abundantly in the Cape District. It is readily to be 
distinguished from Sorex Jiavescens by the tip of its muzzle being entire, by its colour, and 
by its head being shorter and less conical. 
