JACKSON — SHREWS FROM CALIFORNIA 
161 
TWO UNRECOGNIZED SHREWS FROM CALIFORNIA 
By Hartley H. T. Jackson 
Continued studies upon American Soricidae for the United States 
Biological Survey have disclosed two heretofore unrecognized forms 
from California. That their names may be available for other workers 
they are here described in advance of the complete report. 
Sorex obscurus parvidens subsp. nov. 
SAN BERNARDINO DUSKY SHREW 
Type-specimen. — No. 56,561, United States National Museum, Biological Sur- 
vey Collection; U’ adult (teeth slightly worn), skin and skull; collected Octobe'r 
3, 1893, by J. E. McLellan. Original number 242. 
Type-locality. — ^Spring known as Thurman’s Camp, Bluff Lake, altitude 7,500 
feet, western side of San Bernardino Peak, San Bernardino Mountains, California. 
Geographic range. — Known only from San Bernardino Mountains, California. 
Diagnostic characters. — Similar in size and color to Sorex obscurus obscurus; 
skull about the size of that of S. o. obscurus, narrower interorbitally, with dis- 
tinctly flatter cranium, which is less expanded mastoidally (consequently the skull 
averages narrower in greatest lateral diameter) ; molariform teeth more deeply 
emarginate posteriorly, the unicuspids narrower, and the first incisors smaller. 
Color. — Winter pelage: Unknown. Probably not essentially different from 
winter pelage of S. o. obscurus. Summer pelage: Similar to that of obscurus; 
upperparts between olive-brown^ and buffy-brown, tending slightly toward 
Soccardo’s umber, and gradually blending with color of underparts; underparts 
smoke gray more or less tinged with avellaneous or light ochraceous-buff ; tail 
distinctly bicolor, olive-brown above, buffy brown below, darkening toward tip. 
Skull. — Narrower interorbitally than that of S. o. obscurus, with narrower and 
distinctly flatter braincase, and, on the average, weaker dentition, the molari- 
form teeth usually with more deeply emarginate posterior borders. 
Measurements. — Type-specimen: total length, 105; tail vertebrae, 45; hind foot, 
12.8 (measured from the dry skin by the writer). Skull of type-specimen: 
condylobasal length, 17.1; palatal length, 6.7; breadth of cranium, 8.1; inter- 
orbital breadth, 3.5; maxillary breadth, 5.0; maxillary tooth row, 6.2. 
Remarks. — Only 6 specimens of this shrew have been examined, 
4 of which are in Biological Survey Collection and the other 2 in the 
1 Colors here used are those of Ridgway, R., Color standards and color nomen- 
clature, 1912. 
