Recent Classification of the Shrews

DURING the present year some very important work has bsen done with the Soricidae, the family of the Shrews. This has been mainly contributed by the well-known student of the group, Dr. George E. Dobson, F.R.S., the distinguished mammalogist. Dr. Dobson has just published the first fasciculus of Part III. of his work entitled “A Monograph of the Insectivora, Systematic and Anatomical” (Gurney and Jackson, London). This fasciculus deals entirely with the Shrews, it being a quarto illustrated by six fine lithographic plates fully illustrating the dentition of the Soricidae, as its text, in the most admirable manner, presents their characters. Even a still more important paper by the same author appeared in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London for February of the present year, and is entitled “A Synopsis of the Genera of the Family Soricidae.” Probably the most extensive collection of these interesting little mammals ever examined by a single investigator, came under the hand of the writer of the works just quoted, wherefrom to make his deductions. His classification is most complete and acceptable, and goes to show that the Shrews are first to be divided into two sub-families, viz. the Soricidae, and the Crocidurinae, the first being characterized by having their teeth red-tipped, while in the latter the teeth are white. Five genera make up the first sub-family—which stand, Sorex, Soriculus, Blarina, Notiosorex, and Crossopus. In the Crocidurinae we find six genera—namely, Myosorex, Crocidura, Diplomesodon, Anurosorex, Chimarrogale, and Nectogale. This adds four genera to M. Milne-Edwards's list, and from the same omits the genus Neosorex. Dr. Dobson believes that “the redtoothed Shrews diverged from the white-toothed, development having proceeded on somewhat similar lines in the descendants of both according to similarity of environment and modes of life.” Of Dr. Merriam's genus and type, Atophyrax bendirii, he says that “there are no leading characters which would enable one to define the genus, were I inclined to admit it in my synopsis.”