NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



Port Elizabeth Museum there are several from 

 Aloes, which is near Port Elizabeth. 



These Jumping Shrews inhabit rocky localities 

 and scrub-covered, rather stony lands, and live in 

 crevices amongst the rocks, and in holes under 

 boulders. They usually associate in colonies, and 

 make a common nest in a large cleft in the rocks. 

 The nest is composed of twigs and grass, and some- 

 times scraps of rag or paper are added, and has the 

 appearance of a crow's nest. The inside is lined 

 with soft grass. 



Jumping Shrews can extend or retract the 

 proboscis at will. 



Often solitary individuals or pairs are met with, 

 which inhabit the smaller crannies and crevices 

 amongst the rocks. 



Shrews when alarmed, or endeavouring to detect 

 the scent of an enemy or the locality of an insect, 

 retract and elongate the snout in a curious manner. 

 They lie hidden away in their nests in the rock 

 crevices during the heat of the day, and usually issue 

 forth in the afternoon and evening. They love to 

 bask in the sun's rays, and sit upright like Meercats. 



The colour of these Shrews blends perfectly with 

 their surroundings, and these timid little creatures 

 seem well aware of the fact, for, when walking on 

 the rock-strewn veld or sloping hill-sides, I have 

 often noticed what was apparently a small, round, 

 grey stone on top of a boulder. On careful 

 scrutiny, the supposed pebble would turn out to 



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