mountains. Certainly, this is the most westerly limit 

 of its range. 



In general, it inhabits the marshy regions and 

 confines its wanderings to the swampy margins of lakes 

 and rivers. 



The body is a blackish slate color sparingly mixed 

 with white tipped hairs, and ashy gray beneath. The 

 animal measures six inches in total length and the tail 

 is almost three inches long. The habits are similar to 

 those of shrews in general except that this species evi- 

 dently is semi-aquatic. 



Mole Shrew 



Cryptotis parva 



This is the smallest of our native shrews, totalling 

 only three and one-tenth inches. It is apparently not 

 abundant in Pennsylvania, although no survey of the 

 shrews has been made for twenty-five years. 



The upper parts of this species are dark brown 

 and the under side is an ashy gray. 



Order Chiroptera (Bats) 



Family VespcrUlionidae 



The bats form one of the most interesting and 

 most beneficial groups of mammals. They are entirely 

 nocturnal and, to many people, they are loathesome 

 and fearful creatures. They are not only misunder- 

 stood, but dreaded, due to the fact that so many super- 

 stitions have been built up around them. Of all native 

 mammals, the bats have been subjected to the greatest 

 persecution because they are believed to carry bedbugs 

 under their wings, and are supposed to become inex- 

 tricably entangled in one's hair. Like all other mam- 



