Manchester Memoirs, Voi. Ivl (191 2), No. 7. 



VII. The Duration of Life of the Common and the 

 Lesssr Shrew, with some notes on their Habits. 



By Lionel E. Adams, B.A. 



(Communicated by Mr. T. A. Coward, F.Z.S.) 



( Received November 13th, igii. Read December 12th, igiz.) 



I. The Moults. 



Little attention has been given to the moults of our 

 shrews, the best account being that of Barrett-Hamilton 

 in A History of British Mammals, Part viii., p. 88, and f 

 may say that this work, which advances our knowledge 

 many stages further than any previous text-book and 

 provides the student with so many points of fresh departure, 

 has suggested the lines of observation detailed in these 

 notes. 



Having paid special attention to the subject during 

 the current year (191 1) I am able to carry the matter a 

 little further, and I find incidentally that the details of my 

 observations throw additional light on the duration of 

 life of both our shrews, all confirmatory of the hypothesis 

 which I formed some two years ago.* 



I will deal with the two moults separately. 



A. The Spring Moult. The shedding of the winter coat 

 has been observed to extend "from I2lh April to 14th 

 June,"t though, of course, it may and probably does 



* *' A Hypothesis as to the Cause of the Autumnal Epidemic of the 

 Common and the Lesser Shrew," Manchester Me»ioiis, vol. 54, March 31st, 

 1910. 



+ Barrelt-Hamilton, op. cit 



hebruary 6th, igi2. 



