Part 9

Remarks.--S. v. isolatus and S. v. vancouverensis seemingly approach one another morphologically more closely than do any other pair of sympatric subspecies of Sorex vagrans. The exceptions may be S. v. vagrans and S. v. obscurus which are geographically sympatric in a few places although they may be ecologically separated.

Specimens examined.--Total number, 9. BRITISH COLUMBIA, Vancouver Island: Nanaimo, 3 BS; Barclay Sound, 1 AMNH; Goldstream, 5 BS.

Marginal Records.--BRITISH COLUMBIA, Vancouver Island. (Anderson, 1947:19): Cape Scott; Victoria.

=Sorex vagrans insularis= Cowan

Sorex obscurus insularis Cowan, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 54:103, July 31, 1941.

Type.--Adult female, skin and skull; No. 3110, Prov. Mus. British Columbia; obtained on August 24, 1938, by T. T. and E. B. McCabe from Smythe Island, Bardswell Group, British Columbia.

Range.--Smythe, Townsend, and Reginald islands, British Columbia.

Diagnosis.--Size medium; average and extreme measurements of 50 specimens from within the range of the subspecies are: total length, 122.3 (111-134); tail 52.6 (46-58); hind foot, 14.6 (13-15) (Cowan, 1941:107).

Comparisons.--Smaller externally and cranially than S. v. longicauda and brown instead of blackish or grayish in winter pelage. Skull broader than that of S. v. calvertensis and color brown rather than blackish or grayish in winter pelage.

Remarks.--S. v. insularis occurs together with S. cinereus on Townsend and Smythe islands. S. vagrans far outnumbered the cinereus shrew (Cowan, 1941:96).

Records of occurrence.--BRITISH COLUMBIA (Cowan, 1941:104): Smythe Island, Townsend Island, Reginald Island.

=Sorex vagrans calvertensis= Cowan

Sorex obscurus calvertensis Cowan, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 54:103, July 31, 1941.

Type.--Adult male, skin and skull; No. 1947, Prov. Mus. British Columbia; obtained on July 14, 1937, by T. T. and E. T. McCabe from Safety Cove, Calvert Island, British Columbia.

Diagnosis.--Size medium; average and extreme measurements of 13 specimens from Calvert Island are: total length, 121.6 (109-129); tail, 54.0 (52-58); hind foot, 14.7 (13-15) (Cowan, 1941:106). Blackish or grayish in winter pelage.

Comparisons.--Smaller externally and cranially and paler in winter and summer than S. v. longicauda; for comparisons with S. v. insularis see account of that subspecies.

Remarks.--S. v. calvertensis seems to be the only shrew on Calvert and Banks islands.

Records of occurrence.--BRITISH COLUMBIA (Cowan, 1941:103): Safety Cove, Calvert Island; Larson Harbor, Banks Island.

Marginal Records.--BRITISH COLUMBIA: Larson Harbor, Banks Island; type locality.

=Sorex vagrans malitiosus= Jackson

Sorex obscurus malitiosus Jackson, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 32:23, April 11, 1919.

Type.--Adult female, skin and skull; No. 8401; Mus. Vert. Zool.; obtained on May 21, 1909, by H. S. Swarth from east side of Warren Island, Alaska.

Range.--Warren and Coronation islands, Alaska.

Diagnosis.--Size medium; average and extreme measurements of 5 topotypes are: total length, 129.8 (126-135); tail, 56.4 (53-61); hind foot, 15.4 (15-16). Color brownish in summer, brownish rather than blackish in winter.

Comparisons.--Somewhat more brownish than S. v. longicauda but resembling it in size; skull slightly more flattened and rostrum broader. Larger than S. v. elassodon. Larger and relatively longer-tailed than S. v. alascensis.

Records of occurrence.--ALASKA (Jackson, 1928:130): Warren Island; Coronation Island.

=Sorex vagrans elassodon= Osgood

Sorex longicauda elassodon Osgood, N. Amer. Fauna, 21:35, September 26, 1901.