THE ERD SHREW; OR SHREW-MOUSE. 433 
PASSING in a regular gradation from the moles to the shrews and hedgehogs, we pause 
for a while at the powerfully scented animal that is called, by virtue of its perfumed 
person, the Musk-Rat of India, and is also known by the titles of Monpsourov, and 
SONDELL 
This animal is a native of various parts of India, and is very well known on account 
of the extremely powerful scent which exudes from certain glands that are situated in 
the under parts of the body and on the flanks. 
The odoriferous substance, which is secreted by the above-mentioned glands, is of a 
musky nature, and possesses the property of penetrating and adhering to evéry substance 
over which the Musk-Rat has passed. The musky odour clings so pertinaciously to the 
objects which are impregnated with its tainting contact, that in many cases they become 
entirely useless. Provisions of all kinds are frequently spoiled by the evil odour with 
which they are saturated; and of 
so penetrating a nature is the 
musky scent, that the combined 
powers of glass and cork are 
unable to preserve the contents 
of bottles from its unpleasant 
influence. Let but a Sondeli run 
over a bottle of wine, and the 
contained liquid will be so power- 
fully scented with a musky savour 
that it will be rendered unfit for 
civilized palates, and must be re- 
moved from the neighbourhood 
of other wines, lest the contami- 
nating influence should extend to 
them also. 
In colour it is not unlike 
the common shrew of England; 
having a slight chestnut, or reddish 
tinge, upon a  mouse-coloured : 
ground, fading into grey on the SONDELI.—Sorex murinus. 
under parts of the body. In 
size, however, it is much the 
superior of that animal; being nearly as large as the common brown or “ Hanoverian’ 
rat. The hair is very short, and the peculiar reddish-brown hue of the fur is caused by 
the different tintings of the upper and under fur. 
’ 
Durinc the autumnal months of the year, the country roads and by-paths are 
frequently rendered remarkable by the presence of little mouse-like animals, with long 
snouts and peculiarly squared tails, that lie dead upon the ground, without mark of 
external injury to account for the manner of their decease. 
There are probably many other such corpses upon the wide and grassy meadow 
lands, but, owing to the nature of the ground, they are not so conspicuous as those upon 
the smoothly trodden paths. The presence of these deceased creatures is the more 
remarkable, because there are so many predatory animals and birds, such as cats, weasels, 
stoats, owls, and hawks, which would be very likely to kill such small prey, but, having 
slain them, would be almost sure to eat them. These unsepultured remains are the bodies 
of the SHREW-MOUSE of England, otherwise known by the name of Erp Surew. Another 
title by which this little animal is known, in some parts of England, is the Fetid 
Shrew ; a name which has been given to it on account of the powerful scent which it 
exudes ; and the creature is called in Scotland, the Ranny, a name which is evidently 
modified from the Latin term, araneus, or spider-like, which has been applied to this 
animal by several writers, because it was said to bite poisonously like a spider. 
The teeth of the true Shrew are very peculiar, so much so, indeed, that they 
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