1132 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



"This Shrew is quite active as well as strong; the snout 

 and head are powerful, and seem to be much used in burrowing; 

 the tough cartilaginous snout received no injury from the rough 

 edge of a pane of glass, under which that of a caged specimen 

 was forcibly thrust in endeavouring to raise it. When liberated, 

 upon a smooth floor, it runs rapidly, without ever leaping, 

 placing only the toes on the surface; though in moving slowly 

 the whole tarsi of the hind-feet are brought down. By placing 

 an ear of corn over two inches in diameter at the edge of the 

 room, and chasing a Shrew towards it by striking the floor 

 behind the animal, I have seen one several times spring over it, 

 apparently without great effort; but if not much frightened it 

 would always go around objects an inch high, running close 

 along them, as it did beside the wall, invariably feeling its 

 way. One v/ould never leave the side of the wall to run 

 across the room, and would always run around the side of its 

 cage, rather than go across the middle." 



The Short-tailed Shrew is incapable of climbing or run- 

 ning fast. It is, as we have seen, practically blind, does not 

 smell well, is vulnerable at all points of its body, and yet it is 

 an admitted success in life. It offsets all its shortcomings by 

 a superlative development of hearing and touch, and a restless 

 energy combined with indomitable courage, great muscular 

 powers, and tireless activity, an equipment that makes it a fear- 

 some beast of prey, a terror to all wild creatures of its small 

 world, that are less than double its weight. 



The earliest account I can find of its exploits as a hunter 

 of big game is by John Morden, of Hyde Park, Ont.'^ "In 

 a trap set for Mice he found, at one time, a [Mole-]shre\v and 

 two White-footed Mice, one of the latter being dead and about 

 half eaten. 'The evening of that day the Mole was placed 

 in an old laundry boiler and the entire dead Mouse given to it, 

 which by morning was entirely eaten, bones and all, except the 

 hair. We then gave the Mole a large rat just killed, when it at 



'* Can. Sport and Nat., December, 1S83, p. 283, quoted by Merriam, Mam. Adir., 

 1884, p. 165. 



