334 THE INSECTIVORES 



numerously represented in India, includes the largest of all shrews, and those raosx 

 strongly scented with the characteristic musky odor. The best known, and at the 

 same time the largest, of these Indian species are the brown musk-shrew 

 (C. murina) ,and the gray musk-shrew (C. ccerulea}, the latter of which is commonly 

 termed by Anglo-Indians the musk-rat. Both these species have nine teeth on each 

 side of the upper jaw, and their length may be as much as six inches exclusive of 

 the tail. Whereas the hair of the former is of a brownish tinge on the body and 

 feet, in the latter it is more of a slaty hue ; while the feet are flesh colored or 

 yellowish white. In other respects these two shrews are very closely allied, but 

 whereas the brown musk-shrew is found as a rule in woods (although it will occa- 

 sionally enter buildings), the gray musk-shrew generally, if not invariably, haunts 

 human habitations. It has accordingly been suggested that the latter is merely a 

 peculiar variety of the former. The gray musk-shrew is nocturnal, and is a com- 

 mon visitor to Indian houses. During the day it lies concealed in holes and drains, 

 issuing forth at night to hunt over the floors of rooms for cockroaches and other 

 insects ; while thus engaged it utters from time to time a short, sharp squeak. In 

 respect to its insect-eating habits, this musk-shrew is a benefactor to mankind ; but 

 these benefits are accompanied by the drawback that various articles may be so 

 impregnated with the musky secretion of the animal as to become utterly useless. 

 There has, however, been much exaggeration as to the penetrating power of this 

 scent, the well-known but absurd story that wine or beer becomes impregnated with 

 a musky flavor from the circumstance of one of these shrews having run over the 

 outside of the bottle containing such liquor, being a case in point. In addition to 

 its favorite cockroaches and other insects, the gray musk-shrew will also readily 

 devour meat, and accounts are on record of an attack made by one of these animals 

 on a frog and by another on a snake. 



Other Indian musk-shrews belonging to the same group of the genus, such as 

 Blyth's musk-shrew (C. fuliginosa) have but eight teeth on each side of the upper 

 jaw, or the same number as in the European spider musk-shrew (C. aranea). 



THE BURROWING SHREWS 



The burrowing shrews are small mole-like creatures, inhabiting Tibet, Western 

 China and Assam, where they are apparently very rare. They are characterized 

 by their large heads-, minute eyes, the absence of ear-conchs, a very short tail, and 

 thick velvety fur. The total number of teeth is twenty-six, of which there are 

 seven on each side of the upper jaw. There are only two species, of which the one 

 from Assam measures about three inches in length, exclusive of the stumpy tail, 

 and is of dark slaty color, with a tinge of brown. 



The interest attached to these shrews arises from the circumstance that their 

 structure is indicative of burrowing habits like the mole, although nothing is known 

 on this point from actual observation. 



