The Shrew. 79 



dent, to which they were continually liable, our provi- 

 dent forefathers always kept a shrew-ash at hand, which, 

 when once medicated, would maintain its virtue for ever. 

 A shrew-ash was made thus : into the body of the 

 tree a deep hole was bored with an auger, and a poor 

 devoted Shrew-mouse was thrust in alive, and plugged 

 in." The cruelty of this, and many other practices of 

 our ancestors, ought to make us thankful that we live in 

 more enlightened days. 



The body of the Shrew exhales a rank musky odour, 

 which renders the animal so offensive to cats, that though 

 they will readily kill them, they will not eat their flesh. 

 This noisome odour probably gave rise to the notion that 

 the Shrew-mouse is a venomous animal, and its bite 

 dangerous to cattle, particularly horses. It is, however, 

 neither venomous nor capable of biting, as its mouth 

 is not sufficiently wide to seize the double thickness 

 of the skin, which is absolutely necessary in order to 

 bite. 



The female Shrew makes her nest in a bank, or if on 

 the ground, she covers it at the top, always entering on 

 the side ; and she has generally from five to seven young 

 ones at a time. 



The Water Shrew (Sorex fodiens,) is a beautiful little 

 creature, with somewhat differently formed feet and tail, 

 to enable it to paddle through the water, in which it 

 dives and swims with great agility. When floating "on 

 the calm surface of a quiet brook," or diving after its 

 food, its black velvety coat becomes silvered over with 

 the innumerable bubbles of air that cover it when sub- 

 merged ; though when it rises again, the fur is observed 

 to be perfectly dry, repelling the water as completely as 

 the feathers of a water-fowl. 



