MAMMALS. 



47 



rangular, and covered with bristly hairs. Total length, 

 4J inches. Although Shrews are popularly classed with 

 the Mice, they only resemble them in size and general 

 appearance. The long tapering snout and the character 

 of the teeth (which are of a bright red colour), show 

 that they are not Rodents but belong to the Insectivora. 

 WATER SH RE W. This is a larger species than the last, and 

 Crossopus fodiens a very pretty little animal As its name 



implies, it is found in the neighbourhood 

 of water, in which it swims and dives readily. When swim- 

 ming it appears to lie so lightly on the water that more than 

 half the body is above the surface, and it is flattened 

 out sideways. The fur is probably oily, for it seems to 

 resist the water penetrating, and when the animal dives 

 air-bubbles cling to the hairs so that it presents the 

 appearance of a bar of silver gliding rapidly through the 

 water. The home of the Water Shrew is a long winding 

 burrow which it excavates in the bank of the stream or 

 pond where it lives. The entrance is close to the edge, 

 or even below the surface of the water, and on the least 

 alarm the Shrew dives or swims straight to this refuge. 

 The further extremity of the burrow is expanded into a 

 round, grass-lined chamber, and here the female (which 

 is smaller than the male) produces its young early in 

 May. The litter generally numbers five or six, but some- 

 times more. The food of the Water Shrew consists 

 principally of water insects and the various larvae, snails, 

 and crustaceans found in fresh water. It is very fond of 

 the grubs of the caddis-fly, and will turn over stones to 

 get at them. It has also been known to eat the spawn 

 of frogs and fishes, and the fry of salmon, etc. It some- 

 times wanders away from water in search of food, but 



