6 Adams, Epideniic of the Common and Lesser Shreiv. 



their own measuring of this part agree with that of 

 another, the hind foot measurements, which never overlap, 

 may be reHed on to settle the question of identity. The 

 comparatively longer and more hairy tail is by no means 

 an infallible diagnostic character of the Lesser Shrew, as 

 the length varies considerably in both species, and the 

 tail of the young Common Shrew is as hairy as that of 

 the Lesser ; besides which, as I have mentioned, the tails 

 of both species are often denuded of hair in the breeding 

 season. 



The Common Shrew is even when young a much 

 more bulky animal than the adult Lesser ; and the two 

 being placed side by side need never be confounded. 



It seems to have escaped notice that the coat of the 

 young Common Shrew on quitting the nest is of the same 

 brown tint as that which the other carries through life, 

 but in a month or two this changes to almost black, first 

 on the middle of the back, leaving a surrounding line of 

 the original brown between the black and the light belly 

 colour, and finally the black extends to the head and the 

 whole of the upper surface. Thus young and old may 

 be separated at a glance. I have had, however, one 

 exception of an adult which retained the juvenile colour.* 



The Lesser Shrew is supposed to be subject to the 

 " autumnal epidemic," and I have no doubt this is the 

 case. 



For many years I have been in the habit of trapping 

 small mammals, and recording details of measurement 

 and anatomy. Glancing over these lists two years ago I 

 noticed some points with regard to the Common Shrew 

 which seemed to point to a solution of the problem of the 



* Since writing the above I have seen the following remaik by Mr. D. 

 English m CassePs Nature Bk., p. 320 : — "The Pigmy and the immature 

 Common Shrew are often identical in colour." 



