A NATURALIST. 63 



by the smallest quadruped- animal known to man, the 

 minute shrew, which, when full grown, rarely exceeds 

 the weight of thirty-six grains. I had seen specimens 

 of this very interesting creature in the museum, and had 

 been taught, by a more experienced friend, to distinguish 

 its burrow, which I have often perseveringly traced, with 

 the hope of finding the living animal, but in vain. On 

 one occasion, I patiently pursued a burrow nearly round 

 a large barn, opening it all the way. I followed it under 

 the barn floor, which was sufficiently high to allow me to 

 crawl beneath. There I traced it about to a tiresome ex- 

 tent, and was at length rewarded by discovering where 

 it terminated, under a foundation stone, perfectly safe 

 from my attempts. Most probably a whole family of 

 them were then present, and I had my labour for my 

 pains. As these little creatures are nocturnal, and are 

 rarely seen from the nature of the places they frequent, 

 the most probable mode of taking them alive would be, 

 by placing a small mousetrap in their way, baited with 

 a little tainted or slightly spoiled meat. If a common 

 mouse trap be used, it is necessary to work it over with 

 additional wire, as this shrew could pass between the 

 bars even of a close mouse trap. They are sometimes 

 killed by cats, and thus obtained, as the cat never eats 

 them, perhaps on account of their rank smell, owing to 

 a peculiar glandular apparatus on each side, that pours 

 out a powerfully odorous greasy substance. The species 

 of the shrew genus are not all so exceedingly diminutive, 



