Feb., 1912. Mammals of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 427 



and such are usually the only specimens observed by farmers." (/. c, 

 p. 94.) 



Dr. John T. Plummer of Richmond, Wayne Co., Indiana, gives 

 a most interesting account of the habits of a captive animal of this 

 species.* A specimen which he secured was put in a glass vessel five 

 inches deep with perpendicular sides, which he covered with a book 

 upon which was placed the vertebra of a horse. To his astonishment 

 (as the book and bone together weighed upwards of a pound) the Shrew 

 succeeded in pushing the covering sufficiently far to one side to enable 

 it to escape from the jar. After being recaptured and placed in a box, 

 it was given a number of pieces of rotton wood which it arranged to 

 form a hiding place, leaving several openings for egress and ingress. 

 Pieces of paper and rags were cut into small pieces by the animal and 

 formed into a bed. At first the Shrew was shy but it soon learned to 

 take a worm from the Doctor's fingers and would seize it so firmly 

 that he informs us he was able to raise the little animal into the air by 

 means of the worm. It was given flesh of all kinds, fish, coleopterous 

 as well as other insects, com, oats, and other kinds of grain, all of 

 which appeared to be acceptable food. "The corcle of the grains of 

 maize was always eaten out, as it is by rats and mice." When water 

 was put into the box the Shrew "wet his tongue two or three times 

 and went away; but when worms were dropped into the cup, he 

 returned, waded about in the water, snatched up his victim, maimed it, 

 stored it away, and returned repeatedly for more till all were secured." 

 A full grown living Mouse was put into the box, which was at once 

 fiercely pursued by the Shrew, attacked and killed. Another Mouse 

 met with the same fate. 



While there is little reason to believe that the bite of this Shrew is 

 more toxic than that of any other of our small mammals, an instance 

 is given by Mr. C. J. Maynard, where its effects were decidedly unpleas- 

 ant. He states that while holding a Short-tailed Shrew, which he had 

 caught, in his hand the animal bit him three times, the teeth making 

 slight punctures in the skin barely sufficient to draw blood. He first 

 noticed a burning sensation in the bitten fingers, which soon began to 

 swell rapidly and the skin in the immediate vicinity of the punctures 

 turned whitish. The burning sensation soon was accompanied by 

 shooting pains extending to the elbow. The pains persisted with 

 gradually lessening severity for a week and did not entirely subside 

 for nearly a fortnight, or until the swelling had entirely disappeared.! 



Very little is known regarding the breeding habits of this species 



* Amer. Journ. Sci. & Arts, XLVI, 1844, pp. 237-240. 

 t Contributions to Science, I, 1889, p. 57-58. 



