Some Account of the Water-Shre'-dc, 221 



they are dabbling at the side, and readily distinguishable from 

 those of the Gyrinus natator. I believe this to be the animal 

 said to be so long lost in England, the water-shrew, *S6rex; 

 fodiens of Pennant, and the *S5rex bicolor of Turton's English 

 Linnceus; for my Latin edition (Holmiae, 1766) has him not 

 at all. Gm. Lin. 113., describes him, "cauda mediocri sub- 

 nuda, corpore nigricante subtus cinereo, digitis ciliatis ; " * 

 though, to me, the under parts seemed purely white. By refer- 

 ence to various books, I find the female has ten teats, and brings 

 forth nine young ; fore-teeth, lower two ; tusks, upper three, 

 under two ; grinders, upper four, under three. I have said he 

 only appears at evening, and such are his general habits. Once, 

 however, at broad and bright noon, while leaning on a tree, 

 gazing on the sun-sparkles passing (like fairy lights) in number- 

 less and eternal succession under the gentlest breath of air, I 

 was aware of my little friend running nimbly on the surface 

 among them. My rapture caused me to start with delight, on 

 which he vanished to security within his rush-fringed bank ; 

 while I, reasoning at every step, exclaimed with good old 

 Belarius, 



** To apprehend thus, 



Draws us a profit from all things we see; 



And often, to our comfort, shall we find 



The sharded beetle in a safer hold 



Than is the fulUwing'd eagle." Cymbeline. 



I should have mentioned that, on very still evenings, when 

 my ear was close to the ground, I fancied I heard him utter a 

 very short, shrill, feeble sibilation, not unlike that of the 

 grasshopper-lark, in mild light summer nights, but nothing 

 near so loud or long-conthmed. Though I have watched for 

 him warily in that and other places, after having, to the end 

 of May, contributed to the myriads of my amusements, I never 

 saw him more. 



I have written this account, Sir, principally to gratify the 

 urgent entreaties of some students of nature in these parts ; 

 particularly those of my amiable friend Mr. Richard Tudor, 

 surgeon, who, I may almost say, can neither eat, drink, nor 

 even sleep without your Magazine ; and in whose ardent mind 

 every, the minutest, gem of nature stirs some kindred germ : 

 also those of my able, indefatigable, and scientific friend John E. 

 Bowman, Esq., already a contributor, and likely to be a strong 

 future support, to your pages. Should you sanction this with 

 your imprimatur, I may, with such stimulants as the conversa- 



* « Tail, middle-sized, nakedish ; body, blackish, cinereous beneath ; 

 toes, ciliated." 



9 3 



