88 ON THE HABITS OF THE WATER-SHREW. 



fringed with stiff white hairs, which are of great 

 assistance to the creature when swimming. The 

 colour on the head and back is commonly of a rich 

 jetty black, on the sides and underparts pure white ; 

 the line of demarcation between the two colours 

 very distinctly defined, adding much to the beauty 

 of the fur ; a small tuft of white hairs is also 

 noticeable at the corner of the ear. 



The water-shrew, as its name implies, is usuaUy 

 found in the vicinity of pools and rivulets, where it 

 forms in the banks long and winding burrows, which 

 penetrate for a considerable distance into the loose 

 soil, and end in a small chamber, furnished with a 

 bed of moss and dry grass. In this secluded retreat 

 the young are produced about the middle of May, 

 there being usually from six to ten in the litter. 

 When first born, they are curious pinky-white little 

 animals, with round blunt noses and semitransparent 

 bodies, bearing as little resemblance as possible to 

 their parents, A small colony of these shrews 

 frequently inhabit the same spot, and towards the 

 cool of the evening may be observed searching for 

 food, and sporting with each other in the water, 

 now hiding behind stones or large leaves to elude 

 their companions, and then darting out to engage 

 in a general skirmishing chase, diving and swimming 

 with the greatest activity, and occasionally taking 

 a plunge into their holes. By constantly traversing 



