LITTLE SHREW 



written about its habits. Of recent years enough specimens 

 have been secured to indicate that the genus has a much wider 

 range than was formerly suspected. 



These Shrews are said to prefer dry clearings and not dark 

 woods, nor damp, marshy localities. 



Genus Cryptotis^ 



Dentition: Incisors, f ; Canines, J ; Premolars, f ; Molars, | =30. 



Little Shrew. — Cryptotis parva 



and related forms 



Names. — Little Shrew; Little Short-tailed Shrew. 



General Description. — Bearing a close superficial resem- 

 blance to the Short-tailed Shrew, but differing in cranial and 

 dental characters; smaller in size, smallest of American 

 mammals. 



Color. — Sexes colored alike, a seasonal variation. 



Upperparts. — Sepia or dark brown, darker in winter than 

 summer; tail bicolor, above like back, below like belly. 



Underparts. — Ashy gray. 



Measurements. — Sexes of equal size. Total length, 3.1 

 inches; tail vertebra, .64 inch; hind foot, .42 inch. 



Geographical Distribution. — Eastern United States. 



Food. — Insects and such animal food as it is able to capture. 



Enemies.' — Snakes, Hawks, Owls, Weasels, and other small 

 carnivores. 



Species and Subspecies of the Genus Cryptotis 



Little Short-tailed Shrew. — Cryptotis parva (Say). 



As described above. Found in "Austral region of the 

 eastern United States (including both the Austroriparian 

 and Carolinian faunas) from Texas and eastern Nebraska 

 eastward to the Atlantic coast from Staten Island south- 

 ward." (Miller) 



Florida Short-tailed Shrew. — Cryptotis floridana (Merriam). 

 Larger than parva. Upperparts (winter) iron-gray, with 

 light-tipped hairs, browner in summer; underparts paler. 

 Total length, 3.6 inches; tail vertebrae, .88 inch; hind foot, 

 .48 inch. Found in "Peninsular Florida, south of latitude 

 29°. Exact limits of range unknown." (Merriam) 



I ^ See Foot-note, p. 25. 



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