SOREX FLA VESCENS—G e o f f . S t . Hil.
M a m m a l ia .— P l a t e XLV. 2 .
S. supra rufo-flavus, subtus flavo-cinnereus ; villo breve rigido ; rostro elongato anticè bifido ; auribus
magnis, semicircularibus, fere nudis.
L ongitudo e nasi apice ad basin caudæ 4 une. 4 lin ; çaudæ 21 lin.
Sobbx F làvesoens, Geoff. St. Hil. Mem. des Mus. d'Hist. Nat. tom xv.
C o l o u r .— The back and the upper parts of the sides broccoli-brown, distinctly
tinted with light yellowish-brown,i^fthe tint of the upper surface of the
head darkest; the lower portion of the sides and the under parts, wood-
brown ; the chin, throat, sides of neck and breast strongly tinged with dull
reddish orange; the fur, at its base, slightly inclined to pale bluish black.
Tail rusty grey; ears, anteriorly, pale yellowish brown; muzzle black;
whiskers partly reddish brown, and partly bluish white; extremities wood-
brown, exteriorly and anteriorly faintly tinted with yellowish brown ; nails
white.
F o r m , &c.—Figure moderately robust. Head small, superiorly slightly
compressed, anteriorly conical, the muzzle prolonged, cylindrical, and its
apex slightly bifid, the two portions, one towards each side, inclined
slightly outwards and forwards, as will be seen by reference to fig. b 2. Ears
semicircular, with, anteriorly, a sprinkling of fine short fur, and the inferior
margin of each, as well as theoblique septem behind the meatus amlitorius external,
fringed with some rather coarse white hair. Legs short and rather robust;
toes strong, rather long, and armed with short, very crooked, and pointed
claws. Tail cylindrical, and tapered from its base to its apex. Fur short,
rigid, and closely recumbent; hair of tail very short, and rather scanty, the
tip of the tail with a rudimentary tuft of short white hairs.
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines.
Length from the tip of the nose to
the base of the tail ........... 4 4
of the tail................... l 9
Height when standing........................ 1 4
Inches. Lines.
Distance from the ear to the eye....... 0 6*
the eye to tip of the
nose....... .............. 7 1
This species, first described by Geoffroy St. Hillaire, is quite distinct from that which was
previously recognised by Desmaret* and others as Sorer Capensis. Both the one and the
other, however, occur in the same localities, and both are occasionally found in rocky situations
in different parts of the Cape District. They are also occasionally found in wooded ravines,
and when they occur in such situations they are found most frequently under decayed vegetable
matter, or else about the roots of shrubs and small trees.
* Encyclopédie Méthodique Mammalogie, page 152, No. 241.