SOREX VARIUS.—S m ü t s .
M a m m a l ia .— P l a t e XLIV. F i g . 2 .
S. supeme griseus rufo-tinctus ; inferne griseus, pallkle rufo-tinctus ; rostro ad basin valido, versus
apicem attenuato ; auribus fere in villo abditis ; cauda cylindracea fere æquale, crinibus rigidis tecta ;
villo mollissimo et subcrispo.
L ongitudo e rostri apice ad basin caudse 3 une. 10 lin. ; caudæ 1 une. 10 lin.
So rex yaritjs, Smuts. Diss. Zool. enuiner Mamm. Cap. p. 10 8 , Leyden, 1832.
C o l o u r .— The outer surface of the head, back, and sides finely pencilled
yellowish brown and pearl grey, the colours so finely blended as to appear
a sort of rusty silvery grey; the lower portion of the sides, the chin,
throat, belly, and extremities towards body rusty ash-grey. Lower portions
of extremities and tail wood-brown, the latter tinted with yellowish brown.
The fur inside of the surface intermediate between lavender-purple and greyish
black. Edges of upper lip and under surface of snout dirty white ; incisor
teeth white. The proportion of yellowish brown varies in different specimens
and in those in which it is most abundant the grey tint is but faint.
F o r m , & c .— Figure slender. Head small, snout rather robust, its point bare
and anteriorly slightly bifurcate, with a small circular nostril in each division
with elevated edges. Ears semicircular and almost concealed in fur, a part
of which exists on the anterior surface of the ears themselves. Tail cylindrical
and with a delicate pencil of rigid hairs at its extremity, elsewhere it is coated
with short strong hairs. Extremities slender and short. Claws of fore feet
rather long, and only slightly curved. Incisors of upper jaw strongly arched
downwards from base, those of lower jaw horizontal till near the point, which
is slightly bent upwards and received within the upper jaw. Fur long, soft, and
cottony on the body, shorter on the head, and very short on the snout and tail,
where it approaches in character to hair. On the head and body it is slightly
frizzled.
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines.
Length from point of nose to base of
tail .................................... 3 10
of tail ..................................... 1 10
Inches. Lines.
Distance between the tip of the nose
and the eyes............................ 0 6$
Height when standing........................ l 10
Inhabits the southern and eastern parts of the Cape Colony, and is usually found where
brushwood -exists in abundance.