Manchester Memoirs^ Vol. Ivi. (191 2), No. 7. 7 



his den, leaving himself well exposed to view. He would 

 sleep crouched on his belly, tucking his snout straight 

 down through his forelegs under his chest. His slumbers 

 seemed terribly disturbed, and his breathing would become 

 increasingly rapid and spasmodic until the discomfort 

 woke him, when he would again compose himself, and the 

 whole action would be repeated. When he finally roused 

 himself in about half an hour, he would start off frantically 

 in search of more food. Thus alternately eating and 

 sleeping he passed the days and nights. 



I never saw him quiet when awake for an instant. 



When surrounded with a plethora of worms he would 

 bite them and bury them. 



He deposited his copious droppings in the part of his 

 domain most remote from his sleeping-place. 



When excited by the pursuit of disabled insects or 

 other things that moved he would give forth a small 

 shrill whistle. 



Being specially curious as to whether shrews excavate 

 burrows I filled up his jar with four inches of soil 

 tightly pressed down. He immediately began to burrow 

 scratching out the soil behind him with his forelegs. He 

 was out of sight in 1 2 seconds, and presently reappeared 

 in a different spot. He seemed to enjoy burrowing ; 

 perhaps it cleaned his paws and fur. He would keep 

 one or two burrows open at both ends, and spent much 

 time rushing through them. I renewed the earth daily, 

 and no sooner was this done than he commenced to 

 burrow in it ; and it was evident from the purposeful 

 manner in which he burrowed that he was engaged in a 

 habitual action. He never slept in the burrows but 

 always in the hay on the surface, though the custom of 

 the species in this particular during winter cold cannot be 

 judged by the conduct of a well-sheltered captive. 



