Common Shrew 



They are considerably larger than the common shrew and 

 darker coloured, black above and white or ashy beneath; like 

 muskrats they have the hind feet and tail broadened and fringed 

 with stiff hairs for swimming. 



Species and Varieties of Long-tailed Shrews 



There are a number of minute long-tailed shrews which are 

 perfectly distinct from one another, but so small are they and 

 so much alike in superficial appearance that it is hard to dis- 

 tinguish them without dealing with technical terms. If we examine 



Upper jaw of Shrew enlarged, showing " unicuspid teeth." (After Ii filler.) 



the teeth of a shrew we will find in the upper jaw three kinds: 

 first, a pair of large protruding incisor teeth in the front, almost 

 tusks when we consider the size of the shrew; second, three 

 large teeth (molars) on each side in the back of the mouth, and 

 third, four or five simple pointed teeth on each side, situated 

 between the other two. These last are called (in the shrew) 

 unicuspid or single pointed teeth, and furnish us the best aid in 

 distinguishing these little animals. 



Our species may be grouped as follows: 



A. LENGTH 3.80 4.60 INCHES. FIVE UNICUSPID TEETH ON EACH SIDE 

 A i. TAIL LESS THAN 1.80 INCHES 



i. Common Shreis. Sorex personatus Geoffrey. Description and 



range as above. 

 2 Labrador Shrew. S. personatns miscix Bangs. Larger, paler and 



grayer. 



Range. Labrador and Hudson Bay region. 

 3. Smoky 5///vTc'. 5. fitmeus Miller. Larger than the common 



shrew, and dark slate coloured, shading into lighter ash 



below, browner in summer. 

 Range. Colder and mountainous regions, New England, New 



York and in the Alleghanies. 



186 



