THE WATER SHREW 135 



pregnant albino female," which had been killed in the Thames and 

 Severn Canal, near Brimscombe, Gloucestershire. 



Geographical variation is in the Water Shrew much obscured by 

 the prevalence of melanism. There is as yet no evidence that this 

 melanism has in Britain any recognisable distribution according to 

 locality, and I have not attempted to trace it here, though the 

 subject is worthy of the attention of local naturalists. On the other 

 hand, I have been able to show {Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1905, 

 508) that British specimens are on the average duskier than those 

 of the neighbouring continental regions, so that the British form 

 deserves sub-specific recognition under Shaw's name, bicolor. At the 

 other end of the scale is the beautiful southern Carpathian form 

 which I named naias, but which later revisers have united with the 

 true fodiens ; in this the contrast between upper and under sides is 

 stronger than in any other known form, yet melanic specimens 

 nevertheless occur, as they probably do everywhere throughout the 

 range of the species. No other sub-species are known. 



Proportionate lengths: — Tail (without end hairs) about -62, hind 

 foot about -2, and ear about -i, of head and body. 



Skull : — Greatest length, 20 to 22 ; basal length in middle line, 

 18; palatal length in middle line, 10; length of upper tooth series, 9 

 to II; ditto lower, 8 to 10; greatest breadth, 10 to 11; breadth at 

 constriction, 4-5 to 5. 



The -weight, as given in the above tables, seems to be somewhat 

 small, considering the size of the animal. Kinnear, however, sends me 

 the figures (in grammes) for two females as 10-32 and 10-39, but another 

 weighed by Laidlaw reached 16-4 (Eagle Clarke). 



Distinguishing characters : — As compared with the Common and 

 Pygmy Shrews, the Water Shrew is a bigger animal, with a blunter 

 muzzle, a large tail reaching about -6 of the head-and-body length, 

 the feet and tail beautifully " feathered " for swimming, and the colours, 

 except where melanism occurs, strongly contrasted dusky and cream. 

 The cranial and dental characters are absolutely distinctive. 



The habits of this beautiful little creature are clearly indicated 

 by the peculiarities of its structure. It possesses somew^hat the 

 same conformation as the tvi^o species already described, 

 combining a thick silky coat and gracile body with a much 

 thicker snout. The addition of stiff cilia to the sides of the 

 toes, together w^ith the fringe of hairs on the under surface of 

 the tail, shov^ that in its ordinary pursuits it requires the use 

 of oars and rudder, and that, while, like the other British species 

 of the family, its food usually consists of small invertebrates, it is 



