the occipital region ahove it. The lambdoidal ridge is well marked, and a feeble
sagittal crest is prolonged forwards from it. The post-glenoid process is perforated
by a well-defined foramen close to its anterior or inferior margin, directed backwards,
upwards, and slightly inwards, and on its inner margin there is a small,
inwardly projecting process. In Soriculus there is a similar foramen in the same
position, whereas in Crocidura and Tachyura it is always placed internally at the
base of the glenoid process. The condyle o f the mandible consists o f two distinct
articular facets separated from each other by a deep notch. The lower articular
surface is a transverse process projecting inwards, considerably beyond the upper
division, which is in a line with the coronoid process, and its facet looks downwards,
backwards, and inwards. The upper division is narrow, obliquely transverse, looking
backwards and inwards. I t is separated by a very wide notch from the
coronoid. The lowermost of these surfaces is received into the articular concavity
defined by the post-glenoid process, and the uppermost is applied to the articular
surface occurring on the under aspect of the lateral ridge of the skull that corresponds
to the zygomatic ridge of the squamous, so that the summit of the coronoid is
on a level with the upper surface of the skull at the frontal depression. In Crocidwra
this tendency to the division of the condyle shows itself to a certain degree, but not
to the marked extent that occurs in this form and in Anwrosorex, while in Talpa
there is no trace of it. The palate projects behind the last molar, and is defined by
a well-marked, antero-posteriorly concave ridge, and there are no imperfections of
ossification. Looking at the skull sideways, there is a considerable depression in the
inter-orbital region, before which the facial portion is first slightly convex and
then straight, flattened from above.
The teeth, as in Nectogale, are white,1 and 28 in number, as in Crocidura. The
front incisors, rather widely apart at their bases, bend so much inwards and slightly
forwards that they touch each other, defining a triangular space between them.
They are curved forwards, downwards, and backwards, round at their bases, but with
sharp, slightly, laterally compressed points. Some little distance above the tips, on
the inner side of the teeth, there is a small process developed on each, as in Crossopus
and Sorex, but which is Absent in Nectogale, and it is at this point that the two
teeth are in contact. The posterior basal process is not strongly developed, and is
amH.11 AT than any of the small lateral teeth. I t is shortly conical, with flattened
sides to its crown, which has a longitudinal cutting ridge with a visible cingulum.
The lateral teeth are of moderate size, but with little vertical extension. They are
more or less oval from before backwards, and each has the cingulum strongly
marked for lateral teeth, and it is so prominent on the inner margin of the second
tooth as to produce the appearance of a cusp, the cingulum being separated
from the crown of the tooth by a deep groove. The crown is elongately oval and
1 Tomes, writing on the type specimen of Orossopus Tiimalayicus, Gray, says: “ The teeth of this example are those
of a restricted Sovex, and I feel no hesitation in saying, after a careful examination, that they have been introduced by
the staffer.”—Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 2nd ser. xvii (1856), p. 25. As the two spirit specimens, however, of this shrew
which have come under my observation have both pure white teeth, there can now be no doubt that Hr. Gray was
quite correct in describing the teeth of his type as white.
marked by two obscure ridges from before backwards, the surface between them
being rather flat. The canine tooth has no character of its own to separate it from
the foregoing. • All these teeth overlap each other by their anterior extremities.
The first molar has the greatest vertical extension of any of the teeth except the
front incisors. Externally it has two cusps, the anterior small, and the one behind
it much larger and trenchant, with a long ridge running backwards that might
almost be regarded as another cusp. At a higher level internally there are two
other cusps, the anterior the most vertically extended of the two, but rounded,
while the posterior cusp has a longish, posterior ridge. The second molar has three
external, two median, and two internal cusps; the posterior median cusp being the
longest. The anterior median cusp is very small, and is connected with the anterior
and middle external cusps by a low ridge to each. The posterior internal cusp is
about half the size of its fellow in front of it. In the third molar, the middle
external cusp is much smaller than the anterior, and the posterior median cusp has
but slight vertical extension. The last molar is less than half the size of the tooth
before it. Its crown is triangular, with its base inwards and backwards and its apex
forwards and outwards. Externally there are very obscure indications of the tricus-
pidate nature of that margin, and internally the existence of two very feeble cusps
can be detected with difficulty.
The lower incisors are not marked by any ridges, they arch forwards and
upwards. The canine is the smallest tooth, minute, and like an upper lateral incisor.
The premolar is conical; with two cusps viewed from without, the anterior forming
the body of the crown with a small prominence on its hinder margin. The first
molar has the greatest height. I t has three external cusps, of which the middle
cusp is the highest, and is closely applied to its fellow of the outside. The
anterior, external cusps form the front end of the teeth, and are on a line with the
internal cusps on the molars. The second molar only differs from the first in being
slightly smaller, and the third from the second in being little more than half its
size, with much more feebly developed cusps.
The dental formula may be stated thus, judging from analogy, viz.,—
2 + 4 , 2 , 8 I n o > +2 + 2,^ -
This aquatic mammal in its white teeth and in their number is closely allied
to the terrestrial Crocichirce, but it differs from them, as stated, in having a process on
the inside of the front incisors. The existence, however, of such a structure by itself
would not have been of sufficient importance to separate it from Crocid/u/ra; but when
it is taken in connection with the modifications of the skeleton which adapt the
Soricine type of structure which it retains, to an aquatic habit, we are entitled to
separate it genericaily: although judging it, by its teeth alone, it would scarcely be
entitled to generic rank.
The skeleton of this animal is of extremely light construction compared with
the heavy skeleton of terrestrial shrews attaining similar dimensions, but in its
general character it conforms to the shrew type of skeleton. The character which