. Catalogue of the mammals of western Europe (Europe exclusive of Russia) in the collection of the British Museum. . SOREX 33 While there is no invariable rule, the colour in winter is usually darker than in summer, and the tricolor pattern of dark back, yellowish brown sides and greyish belly is more pronounced. A trace of tliis pattern is often the most convenient character by which to recognize shrunken ill-prepared specimens, which might otherwise be mistaken for Sorex minutus. SJcuIl~The skull is slender and lightly built, with no special peculiarities of form as compared with that of oth
. Catalogue of the mammals of western Europe (Europe exclusive of Russia) in the collection of the British Museum. . SOREX 33 While there is no invariable rule, the colour in winter is usually darker than in summer, and the tricolor pattern of dark back, yellowish brown sides and greyish belly is more pronounced. A trace of tliis pattern is often the most convenient character by which to recognize shrunken ill-prepared specimens, which might otherwise be mistaken for Sorex minutus. SJcuIl~The skull is slender and lightly built, with no special peculiarities of form as compared with that of other shrews Brain-case well marked off from interorbital region, its surface smooth except in extreme old age, its main sutures remainincr open until late in life. It is sub-circular in ° general outline when viewed from above, but with antero-external portion of border noticeably flattened, so that at point of greatest breadth there is usually an evident angle; condyles scarcely visible, causing no break in posterior outline. Depth of brain- case at middle slightly more than half greatest width ; no sagittal crest except in extreme old age; lambdoid crest at tirst confined to lateral portions of occiput, rarely extending to median line. Dorsal profile usually with evident concavity in inter- ^^''" "" orbital region (more marked than in Sorex ^"wat S!"'" minutus and ,S'. alpiniis). Nares broadly rounded posteriorly, the lateral margin obtusely angled near middle. Anteorbital foramen moderately large, not very con- spicuous when skull is viewed from in front. Lachrymal foramen over middle of m\ Mesopterygoid space nearly parallel- sided, less than half as wide as long. Teeth.—Anterior upper incisor with basal lobe relatively larger than in any other European shrew, the length of its base nearly equal to diameter of anterior lobe at level of angle between the two cusps. When tooth is viewed from below the posterior lobe appears nearly as large as an
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcollectionbiod, bookdecade1910, bookyear1912
