304 Miscellaneous. 



dwelling, the Shrews evinced no symptoms of fear, appearing quite 

 at home, and feeding freely on worms, raw meat, and insects. A 

 few days after I procured them, I placed three or four minnows in 

 the bath attached to the main part of the cage. Directly the Shrews 

 caught sight of the fish, they hoth plunged instantly into the water, 

 and quickly reappeared, each having secured a victim, which they 

 proceeded to discuss with great apparent gusto, having first killed 

 it by a bite through the head. I remarked that while feeding they 

 held the fish firmly between their fore paws, in the same maimer as 

 the Otter, and, commencing at the head, ate gradually downwards, 

 by a succession of sharp snapping bites. Their appetites were very 

 good, as they frequently consumed two or three minnows each in 

 one day — a very tolerable amount, considering their size. When 

 running about their cage, these Shrews often uttered a shrill sibilant 

 chirp, resembling the note of the Grasshopper-Lark. They would 

 also play in the water, half rearing up and striking with their fore 

 paws, or rolling over and over each other on the surface. Though 

 appearing perfectly reconciled to captivity, they manifested no attach- 

 ment, nor especial tameness, biting viciously when touched. They 

 lived with me in this way several months in perfect health, till the 

 cage-door being accidentally left open one day in my absence, the 

 inmates levanted, as a matter of course, and were never seen or heard 

 of afterwards. I hope, however, shortly to obtain more, as when 

 treated properly, and supplied with plenty of water, they thrive, and 

 might probably be induced to breed in confinement. Besides the 

 Common Shrew, which is exclusively terrestrial, another species, the 

 Oared Shrew (Crossopus remifer), is found in Britain. For some 

 time this animal was confounded with the Water-Shrew, as its habits 

 ai'e similar, and it frequents the same situations. It differs, how- 

 ever, in colour, the black on the back and sides being flecked with 

 white hairs, the throat and abdomen blackish grey tinged with yel- 

 low. Though scarcer than the two other kinds, the Oared Shrew 

 is more abundant than is often supposed by naturalists, as I have 

 several times caught it in different parts of Hertfordshire and Surrey. 

 I must here remark that the ears of both the Oared and Water- 

 Shrew are furnished with a peculiar and beautifully contrived appa- 

 ratus by which the water is excluded from those organs. It consists 

 of three small valves, which fold together when the animal dives, 

 effectually preventing the entrance of a single drop of moisture. As 

 soon, however, as the pressure is removed, on the Shrew rising to 

 the surface, they reopen spontaneously. Without this provision of 

 nature, the animal would constantly be annoyed by the water filling 

 the cavities and irritating the delicate membranes of the ear. 



The dimensions of full-grown individuals of the three species arc 

 as follows : — 



Common Shrew, in. lin. Water-Shrew, in. lin. Oared Shrew, in. lin. 

 Total length 4 1 Total length 5 7 Total length G 1 



Head 1 2 Head 1 5 Head 1 7 



Tail 1 9 Tail 2 1 Tail 2 4 



Hind foot.. 3 Hind foot. . 5 Hind foot. . 7 



Pjoc. Zovl. Soc. June '27, l^(i."i. 



