CARNIVORA. 99 



however, distinguished from the latter by their teeth, and the con- 

 ical form of the head, and nose tapering to a long point. They 

 place the entire sole of the foot upon the ground, which makes 

 their legs appear short. They have glands along the side of the 

 body, which secrete a humor of an unpleasant and peculiar 

 odor. Their shrill, piercing cry may often be heard in spring 

 and summer. Water shrews, which are twice the size of the 

 others, are found upon the banks of rivers, ponds, and marshes, 

 and appear to collect their food, consisting of the larvee of the 

 ephemeral flies, from the loose mud. Stationing themselves at 

 the mouths of their holes, they look intently on the water, and if 

 a shoal of minnows pass by, they plunge in among them, diving 

 with much adroitness. Their fur repels the water, and while 

 submerged they appear almost white. The Common Shrew, S. 

 araneus, (Lat. Spiders,) is covered with soft velvety fur, is easily 

 distinguished from the mouse by its long, tapering and cartilagin- 

 ous snout; the eyes, too, are very minute, almost hidden in the 

 surrounding hairs, and the ears are round and close. It is usu- 

 ally of a reddish mouse color above, grayish beneath, and some- 

 times tinged with yellow. Its entire structure is well adapted 

 to burrow under the earth, but it can also move rapidly upon the 

 surface. Its length, from the snout to the tail, is about five 

 inches ; its tail is one inch long ; it feeds upon insects, worms 

 and grubs. 



Sorex fodiens, (Lat. digging.) The WATER SHREW closely 

 resembles the common shrew in its conformation. Its feet are 

 rather broad and formed for swimming, having a lock of stiff 

 hairs on the end of the toes ; its tail is rather slender and fringed 

 with stiff hairs. Its swimming is principally effected by the al- 

 ternate action of the hind feet. The appearance of these ani- 

 mals, and their motions in water are quite amusing. A sort of 

 musk is expressed from the region about the tail, and the skins 

 are put into chests and wardrobes, among clothes, to preserve 

 them from moths. 



The DESMAN or MUSK RAT, Mygale (Gr. spider-mouse,) mos- 

 cliata. This is known as the Russian Musk Rat, is about the 

 size of a hedge-hosj and distinguished from the shrews by its 

 long scaly tail, flattened at the sides. Under the tail of the Des- 

 man are two small follicles, containing a kind of unctuous sub- 

 stance of a strong musk odor, from which the name of musk 

 rat is given to it. 



The SCALOP, to which Linnssus gave the name of Sorex 

 aquaticus, is a native of Canada and is now separated from the 

 true shrews. 



