Chap. 2. 



QUADRUPEDS OF VERMONT. 



27 



SHORT-TAILED SHREW. 



■HREW MOLK- 



-ii. 



THE SIIORT-TAILKD SHREW. 

 Sorex Brcvicaiidus. — Say. 



Description. — Color of tlie head, body 

 and tail dark plumbeous brown above, a 

 little lighter beneath ; lips naked fleshy 

 and flesh-colored; extremity of the snout 

 brown, notched ; teeth tipped with dark 

 chestnut brown at their points fadin<r in- 

 to white at their base ; feet flesh-colored, 

 nearly naked and slender ", nails slender, 

 white on the fore feet, and on the hind 

 feet chestnut brown at the base and white 

 at the tip. The inner toe on each foot is 

 shortest, the outer a little longer and the 

 otiier three nearly equal, the third being 

 a little the longest. The tail is squarish, 

 largest in the middle, slightly strangula- 

 ted at the base and sparsely covered with 

 short hairs ; whiskers whitish, sparse, 

 half an incli long, situated between the 

 eye and the snout and turned backwards. 

 No external ear, opening large. Total 

 length of the specimen before me 4-6 

 inches, to the origin of the tail 3-S, tail ], 

 head 1-1, hind foot to tJie point of the 

 longest nail .6. 



HisTORr. — This species of Shrew bears 

 a very considerable resemblance to the 

 Shrew mole in its general aj)pearance, 

 but is much inferior to it in size, and dif- 

 fers from it remarkably in tlie structure of 

 its fore feet. As they seldom venture in- 

 to cleared fields, very little is known of 

 their habits, but in the woods they are of- 

 ten seen and heard rustling among the 

 leaves and digging little holes into the 

 ground, probably in quest of food. This 

 and the preceding species are occasionally 

 caught and brought in by cats ; but they 

 will seldom attempt to eat them on ac- 

 count, probably, of their disagreeable mus- 

 ky odor. In addition to the foregoing we 

 certainly have one other species, and pro- 

 bably more, but they require further ex- 

 amination. 



Genus Scalops. — Cuvier. 



Generic Characters. — Teeth 36 to 44 — Incisors 

 S canines -•1-6. or S..JI, grinders _^.3. or 4___4. 



4' 3 3 60'° 33' 33' 



crowns of the grinders furni.shed with sharp tu- 

 bercles ; nose long and pointed; eyes very small ; 

 no e.\teraal ears ; fore feet very broad and strong, 

 with long ilaUened iiails fit for excavating the 

 earth ; hind feet small and thin, with slender, 

 arched nails; tail short; body thickly covered 

 with fine, soft hn-, which is perpendicular to the 

 skill ; feet five toed. 



THE SHREW MOLE. ' 



Scalojjs aquaticus. — Linnaeus. 

 Scalops canadensis. — Desmarest. 



Description. — Color, grayish brown; 

 body, plump, cylindrical and tapering 

 from the shoulders backward ; nose long, 

 terminated by a button shaped cartilage ; 

 eyes and ears concealed by the far; fore 

 feet broad and strong, with the toes united 

 up to tlie roots of the nails ; nails broad, 

 flat and strong; palms naked, bordered 

 by small stifl" hairs, above slightly cover- 

 ed with grayislidown ; hind legs and feet 

 slender and delicate, with slender, sharp, 

 hooked nails ; tail short and covered with 

 hair. Length of tlie specimen before me, 

 from the nose to the insertion of the tail, 

 5.3 in. tail 1 in. head i.3in. 



HisTORV. — The Shrew Mole inhabits 

 fields and meadows, but seems to prefer 

 the banks of rivers and other watercours- 

 es. In its habits it resembles the other 

 moles. Its large and powerful paws are 

 well calculated for digging in the earth, 

 and by tiieir aid it is enabled to burrow 

 with surprising quickness. They spend 

 most of their time in the ground, where 

 they form extensive and connected gal- 

 leries, through which they can range at 

 pleasure to considerable distances and iu 

 various directions, without coming to 

 the surface. In excavating these galle- 

 ries, tliey throw up, in a manner difficult 

 to be explained, little mounds of loose 

 earth, by which their burrows may be de- 

 tected. These mounds occur at distan- 

 ces, from one to three feet, and are from 

 three to six inches in height, but exhibit 

 externally no appearance of passages in- 

 to the burrows. The fur of this animal 

 is exceedingly beautiful, being thick, fine, 

 soft and even, with delicate glossy, or sil- 

 very reflections. 



Genus Condylura. — Illiger. 



Generic Characters. Teeth, 40 Incisor* 



i. canines A.4. grinders A.i. — la the upper 



4 > 5 5'^ 3 3 '^^ 



jaw are two large, triangular incisors, two very 

 small ones, and on each side a large, strong ca- 

 nine. In the lower jaw the four incisors slant 

 forward, and the canine on each side is small and 

 pointed. Body cylindrical, clumsy, and covered 

 with short thick fur, which is perpendicular to the 

 skin; nose elongated and sometimes furnished 

 with a membranous crest disposed in the form of a 

 star around the nostrils ; feet five-toed ; fore feet 

 broad and strong, fitted for digging ; hind feet 

 slender ; eyes very small ; no external ear. 



