98 SORIClDyE— SOREX 



as might be expected from their strenuous nature, worth 

 watching. The commencement on both sides is circumspect. 

 The combatants advance, squeaking, with wide-open jaws and 

 snarling muzzles, squirm round each other, jump clear across 

 each other and at each other. Their jumps, from all four feet, 

 are, considering the shortness of their legs, extremely neat and 

 vigorous. Finally, one or the other gets a hold, often on his 

 opponent's tail, and here the real business begins. They fasten 

 head to tail and tail to head, and spin as a living ball, until the 

 spin itself releases them. After a few seconds' rest, during 

 which they are often lying on their backs squeaking defiance, a 

 second round commences, and after that a third, and fourth, and 

 fifth. I have never witnessed a duel which terminated fatally ; 

 but with well-matched adversaries, it must be a prolonged 

 affair, ending only in the complete exhaustion of one or the 

 other combatant." 



In spite, however, of their unenviable temper, these little 

 creatures afford interesting material for observation, but I am 

 unaware of their having survived capture longer than a few 

 months, and that period only under the care of Mr Cocks 

 or Mr English. They never become sufficiently advanced 

 in the rudiments of domesticity as to merit the title of "pet." 

 Hunger soon drives them to take worms or insects from the 

 hand, and they become so far " trained " as to associate certain 

 regularly repeated noises with feeding time. But this action 

 must not be regarded as an indication of docility, but rather 

 as a mere blind submission to an uncontrollable desire for 

 food. This imperishable hunger is, in truth, the greatest 

 obstacle to their health in confinement, for a lavish supply of 

 food must be kept ready for them by day and night, if they are 

 not to die of starvation. 



Several naturalists have published their experiences of the 

 demeanour of the Common Shrew while in captivity. Amongst 

 these Mr English's recently published observations should be 

 read by every one interested in British mammals. He states 

 that shrews, when they are really thirsty, drink with a curiously 

 bird-like action. The snout describes a small arc in the 

 water, and, at the end of its sweep, points almost per- 

 pendicularly upwards. 



