1 8 FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY ZOOLOGY, VOL. XIV. 



and still others in mouse traps with the conventional rolled oats as bait. 

 In the case of the mouse traps, however, it was probable that the an- 

 imals had not been attracted by the bait but had merely run across the 

 lightly set traps. A preference for animal food was quite evident and it 

 was only by continued effort with "meat baits " that a total of more than 

 one or two specimens was obtained. 



Beneath the heavy canopy of treetops and still further shaded by 

 masses of low vegetation, the animals of the dark damp forests exercise 

 their vision only to a limited degree and depend mainly upon the sense 

 of smell. That this is the case with C&nolestes is indicated by its small 

 eyes and its highly developed olfactory organs. In fact, although some- 

 what ratlike in appearance and from its rather long hind legs doubtless 

 active and roving, C&nolestes is best described as to appearance by saying 

 that it is a large forest shrew. Like a shrew, it is fond of fresh meat when 

 such food offers itself, but its steady diet consists only of insects. The 

 contents of three stomachs were submitted to the U. S. Biological 

 Survey and as a result of examinations kindly made in their laboratories 

 the following report was received: 



"No. I. Contents: Parts of a weevil, three ants (Dorylidae), skin of 

 caterpillar, lepidopterous pupa, adult lepidopteron, leg frag- 

 ments of orthopteron, a Tipulid larva, centipede and spider. 

 Dipterous and lepidopterous remains form the major portion. 



"No. 2. Contents: Fragments of two beetles and a weevil, a cater- 

 pillar, an orthopteron, a hemipteron (?), spider and one seed of 

 composite plant. Caterpillar at least 60 per cent. 



"No. 3. Contents: Unidentified insect fragments and parts of 

 spider." 



Other observations on the habits of Canolestes so far as published 

 are meager. Mr. Geo. D. Child, through whom the type of C. obscurus 

 was obtained, contributed the following note: "The little animal you 

 speak of is called 'Raton Runcho,' which means 'Opossum-Rat.' 1 

 It lives in the high brush-wood, and is supposed to feed on birds' eggs 

 and small birds. It is very rare indeed, and is obtained with much 

 difficulty." (Thomas, 1895, p. 877.) 



Mr. Samuel N. Rhoads, who collected two females on Mt. Pichincha. 

 Ecuador, writes that "The two specimens were secured in swampy 

 ground, the edge of a large pasture on the Hacienda Garzon, within 

 few feet of a swiftly flowing stream of considerable size. They were 

 caught in small cyclone mouse traps set in underground runway; 

 among the thick grass, these runways being about on the level with th< 

 waterline of the swamp. They were caught on the same day, soon afte: 



1 The book name selva was proposed by Lydekker in 1896 (Geog. Hist. Mamm.) 

 but has seldom been used by others. 



