528 



MUSK SHREW. 



Sorex Moschatus. S. pedibus palmatis, cauda compressa lancco* 



lata. Lin. Syst. Nat. Gmel.p. 113. 

 Web-footed Shrew, with naked compressed tail. 

 Castor Moschatus. C. cauda longa compresso-lanceolata, pedibus 



palmatis. Ian. Syst. Nat. p. 79. 



Mus aquaticus. Clns exot. p. 375. Jonst. Quadr.p. 169. t. 73, 

 Mus aquatilis. Aldr. dig. p. 447. 

 Pallas, it. i. p. 156. Lepechin, it. i.p. 178. t. 13. Guldenstedt, 



BerL Naturf. Beschr. 3. p. loj.t. a. 

 Desman. Buff". 10. p. T.JO/. 10. 

 Musky Shrew. Pennant Quadr. 2. p. aai. 



THIS is a very singular species, which, though 

 extremely common in some of the northern parts 

 of Europe and Asia, does not seem to have been 

 very distinctly understood by modern naturalists, 

 till Dr. Pallas, Lepechin, and Guldenstedt gave 

 accurate descriptions of its form and manners. It 

 was, indeed, long ago described in a general man- 

 ner by Clusius, who has also given a figure, which 

 is repeated by Aldrovandus, Jonston, and others; 

 nor is it to be denied that both figure and de- 

 scription are so far just as to discriminate the ani- 

 mal from every other at that time known. 



According to Dr. Pallas it chiefly inhabits the 

 river Volga and the adjacent lakes, from Novo- 

 gorod to Saratof ; and is not found in Russia, nor 

 does its existence in Lapland seem well ascer- 

 tained. It is said to be very seldom seen on 

 land; confining itself to lakes and rivers, in the 

 banks of which it occasionally burrows to a great 



