30 SOUTH AFRICAN MAMMALS 



to the in comparison to its size loud sniffs which this 

 little creature emits when searching for its food. It is 

 mainly nocturnal in habit, becoming active at sundown, 

 and lying hidden amongst the undergrowth of a thick 

 bush during the day-time. 



It rolls itself into a ball with great rapidity as soon as 

 danger threatens, and is then not a pleasant object to 

 handle. It is then immune to the attacks of dogs and 

 the smaller wild carnivorous animals. In the Zoo it 

 does not seem to thrive, and although the artificial diet of 

 minced meat and hard-boiled eggs is supplemented as 

 often as possible with meal-worms and other insect food 

 it does not live very long in captivity, at least not 

 in comparison with the majority of animals. Two years 

 is the longest we have been able to keep one alive. A 

 female was brought into the Zoo on one occasion with 

 four young ones, which she succeeded in successfully 

 rearing. On another occasion a female was brought in 

 with seven young ones, but I think this number is 

 exceptional. 



Family SORICID^. 



This family is a fairly large one, containing the true 

 shrews. These are small animals of rat-like or mouse- 

 like form, with a long and pointed muzzle (snout-like), 

 the sides of which are swollen by the roots of the bristly 

 whiskers. The dentition is variable, but there are always 

 three molars, and in the lower jaw six teeth on either 

 side. 



Eyes small and tail long and tapering. These little 

 animals have, as a rule, a peculiar musky odour, which 

 comes from a fluid which is secreted in glands opening 

 near the bases of the fore limbs. 



There are two sub-families, Soricints and Crocidurinee ; 



