172 



Page 8, No. 9, Sorex caerulescens. 



" The common Musk Shrew. 

 Jerdon's description of this animal is as follows : 



" Description. Of an uniform bluish-ash or pale gray color, 

 very slightly tinged with ferruginous, and. most so on the under 

 parts ; naked parts flesh-colored. 



Length, head and body, 6 to 7J inches ; tail, 3^ to nearly 4. 

 The skull of an adult male, according to Blyth, If ; caudal verte- 

 brae, 24 in number. 



This appears to be the common musk-rat of almost all India, 

 frequenting houses at night, and hunting round rooms for cock- 

 roaches or any other insects, occasionally uttering a sharp shrill cry. 

 It will, however, not refuse meat, for it is sometimes taken in rat- 

 traps baited with meat." 



I know that these shrews will also eat bread : insects however, 

 form their chief diet, so they thus do us more good than harm. I 

 once disturbed one that evidently had been eating part of a large 

 scorpion, whether the reptile had been killed by the musk-rat I do- 

 not pretend to say. 



Page 11, No. 10, Erinaceus micropus. 

 " The South Indian Hedge-Hog. 



Jerdon thus describes this animal. 



Description. " Ears moderately large; form somewhat elongated ; 

 tail very short, concealed j muzzle rather sharp ; feet and limbs 

 very small ; head and ears nude, sooty color ; belly very thinly 

 clad with yellowish hairs ; spines ringed dark-brown and whitish, 

 or whitish with a broad brown subterminal ring, tipped white. 



Length of one, about 6 inches. 



This hedge-hog is stated to be found at Madras and on the 

 Neilgherries. Many years ago I procured one alive at Trichinopoly^ 

 which I gave to Mr. Walter Elliot, and I have reason to believe 

 that this specimen is the supposed 22. collaris from Madras, now 

 in the British Museum. I never got another specimen from the 

 Carnatic, yet it must be a denizen of the low jungles of the extreme 



