THE OAEED-SHREW. 



BESIDES the common shrew, which is exclusively 

 terrestrial, another species, the oared-shrew (Cros- 

 sopus remifer), is found in Britain. For some time 

 this animal was confounded with the water- shrew, 

 as its habits are similar, and it frequents the same 

 situations. It differs, however, in colour, the black 

 on the back and sides being flecked with white hairs, 

 the throat and abdomen blackish grey tinged with 

 yellow. Though scarcer than the two other kinds, 

 the oared-shrew is more abundant than is often sup- 

 posed 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 apparatus 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 



