THE STORY OF THE SHREW. 



The shrew family has so many varieties that I will have to confine myself 

 to some of the most interesting- and important ones. These elegant little 

 creatures are often mistaken for mice, in fact, they are commonly called shrew 

 m.ice, although they belong to the family of insect-eating animals, and resemble 

 a mole more than they do a mouse. 



With the exception of a few varieties which have taken to a life in the 

 water, the shrews live on the land and are active only at night. They are all 

 covered with fur, generally remarkable for its softness ; the head is long, with 

 a sharply pointed snout projecting far in advance of the tip of the lower jaw; 

 their eyes are extremely small and bead-like. They are tO' be met with 

 throughout the whole oi the temperate and tropical regions of Europe, Asia, 

 Africa and North America, as well as on many of the adjacent islands. From 

 their obscure and retiring habits the shrews are difficult of observation; their 

 long and pointed snout, their elastic form, and short and velvety coat enable 

 them tO' pass through the closest herbage, or beneath the carpets of dry leaves 

 in the coppice and woodland, in which places, as well as in the open fields, 

 whether cultivated or in pasture, they seek their food. But they are not con- 

 fined tO' such places, however, as with their relatives, the water shrews, they 

 are often met with in marshy and fen districts. On the other hand, one of 

 the Indian shrews constantly frequents dwelling-houses. 



The common shrews are known by their red teeth, the large size of their 



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