WATER SHREW. 153 



I 



the back, and rendering it altogether the prettiest object 

 imaginable. 



According to the account given of one of them by 

 Mr. Dovaston,* to whom we are indebted for the first de- 

 tailed description of its manners, " It dived and swam 

 with great agility and freedom, repeatedly gliding from 

 the bank under water, and disappearing under the mass 

 of leaves at the bottom, doubtless in search of its insect 

 food. It very shortly returned and entered the bank, 

 occasionally putting its long sharp nose out of the water, 

 and paddling close to the edge. This it repeated at 

 frequent intervals from place to place, seldom going 

 more than two yards from the side, and always returning 

 in about half a minute. Sometimes it would run a little 

 on the surface, and sometimes timidly and hastily come 

 ashore, but with the greatest caution, and instantly 

 plunge in again." Its swimming is principally effected 

 by the alternate action of the hinder feet, which produces 

 an unequal or wriggling motion : it makes its way, how- 

 ever, with great velocity ; and as it swims rather superfi- 

 cially, with the belly flattened, the sides, as it were, spread 

 out, and the tail extended backwards as a rudder, it 

 forms a very beautiful and pleasing object, moving on 

 the calm surface of a quiet brook, or diving, in an 

 instant, after its food, its black velvety coat becoming 

 beautifully silvered with the innumerable bubbles of air 

 that cover it when submerged ; and on rising again, the 

 fur is observed to be perfectly dry, repelling the water 

 as completely as the feathers of water-fowl. When sub- 

 merged, the ear is nearly closed by means of three little 

 valves. It is attacked by the Weasel, which will even 



* Loud. Mag. II. p. 219. 



