148 SMALL DEER OUR RODENTS 
Water-shrews are very capricious in their move- 
ments ; sometimes they follow the edge of the rill, 
where the vegetation hangs over ; at another time 
they will come out in the open and swim about. 
Timid creatures they are : not a movement if you can 
help it, please, not even a shadow, or they are off to 
their burrows. 
This morning I have been fortunate, for a couple 
came wriggling out from some cranny, and played 
about on the surface of the small pool, just below the 
drain. They appear to dart, but it is really a rapid 
wriggling motion they make. As they swim they are 
curiously flattened out. As to their snouts, they are 
those of moles in miniature, and never still for one 
moment, but twisting about in every direction. It 
seems to me, indeed, that what his trunk is to the ele- 
phant the long snout is to this little animal. When 
they dive, they look like mice covered with quick- 
silver. This is caused by the air-bubbles that com- 
pletely cover the fur when they are in the act of diving ; 
the fur being compressed close to the body causes the 
air that is forced out to show like bubbles of silver on 
the creature. There are two varieties of water-shrews, 
which differ in size, as do the two water-voles, one 
being larger than the other. Quiet, out-of-the-way 
places, where sticklebacks live, suit them ; they are 
