SHREWS 



that we thought he had eaten the lot, but, 

 though the ' Atom ' had a great appetite, 

 we had for once over-estimated it. Next day 

 there was a horrible smell in the cage, and 

 on hunting about I found the greater part 

 of the worms hidden under the moss. He 

 had killed them by biting off their heads 

 and tails, and they were not only dead but 

 smelling too ! 



It was most amusing to watch the ' Mighty 

 Atom ' dealing with a big worm. He knew in 

 a second when one was dropped in, found it at 

 once, by scent I think, jumped upon it, gave it 

 a bite at the head end, sprang back out of the 

 way of its squirmings, rushed off and rubbed 

 himself in the moss to get rid of the slime, 

 hurried back, bit it again, ran away to clean 

 himself, and as quickly back once more. When 

 he had worried its head end well he would 

 begin at the tail, by which rough handling it 

 would at last be quietened, and when it was 

 really still he would begin and eat. He began 

 at one end, holding the body down with his 

 paws, and chewing along its length. When he 

 was hungry it did not take him long to finish 

 the meal, but when he had the choice of several 

 worms he only ate the fore part of each and 



79 



