Type.—Young adult male, skin and skull; No. 3638, Mus. Vert. Zool.; obtained on May 6, 1908, by Joseph Dixon from salt marsh near Palo Alto, Santa Clara Co., California.
Range.—Marshes in the southern part of San Francisco Bay, California.
Diagnosis.—Size small for the species; measurements of two topotypes are: total length, 105, 106; tail, 39, 40; hind foot, 12, 13. Upper parts in winter Chaetura Black or near Fuscous-Black; underparts brownish; upper parts in summer near (17´m) Mummy Brown; underparts with a decided buffy wash, near (15´d) Light Ochraceous Buff; rostrum relatively large; maxillary tooth-row relatively long; teeth relatively large.
Comparisons.—Darker ventrally, both summer and winter, than S. v. vagrans; slightly more reddish dorsally in summer pelage than S. v. vagrans, rostrum and teeth relatively larger; smaller externally than S. v. paludivagus, paler; skull longer, narrower cranially and broader rostrally.
Remarks.—This subspecies seems to be restricted to salt marshes where it occurs with Sorex ornatus.
Specimens examined.—Total number, 12. California: San Francisco Co.: San Francisco, 4 BS. Alameda Co.: West Berkeley, 1 BS; Berkeley, 1 BS; Dumbarton Point, 1 KU. San Mateo Co.: San Mateo, 2 BS. Santa Clara Co.: Palo Alto, 3 BS.
Marginal records.—California: Berkley, Elmhurst; Palo Alto; San Mateo.
Sorex vagrans paludivagus von Bloeker
Sorex vagrans paludivagus von Bloeker, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 52:93, June 5, 1939.
Type.—Adult male, skin and skull; No. 5053, Los Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art, obtained on November 3, 1938, by Jack C. von Bloeker, Jr., from salt marsh at mouth of Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, Monterey Co., California, original no. 9456.