WILD CREATURES OF GARDEN AND HEDGEROW 



together I thought they would have company. 

 One was introduced a little before the other. 

 It made itself at home without any delay, 

 at once grabbing a worm and beginning to 

 eat it; when this was finished it turned to 

 the business of making a bed. This it did 

 by sitting under the heap of dry grass and 

 pulling in the ends all round, in which way it 

 soon had a comfortable domed nest. This did 

 not quite satisfy it ; it came out, began to 

 collect the grass that was lying about, which it 

 took back, a mouthful at a time, until it had 

 gathered a good deal and had enough to con- 

 tent it. It seemed quite happy and at home, 

 but all this was changed when I put in the 

 second water shrew. The newcomer was a 

 dull-coloured one, brownish on its under-parts, 

 and without the smart white tips to its ears. 

 The first was a particularly clean black and 

 white shrew. The latter is the most usual 

 type of colouring, but they vary between the 

 two extremes, and the dullest, darkest 

 varieties may be found living in the same 

 family parties as the bright clean-marked ones. 

 Nor are the different types peculiar to different 

 districts. 



When the dark shrew was dropped into its 

 88 



