154 SORICID^E. 



follow it into the water, where, however, it readily saves 

 itself by diving. It burrows under the margin of the 

 bank ; a safe and commodious habitation, from which it 

 can, at the first alarm, throw itself into the water and 

 elude pursuit. 



It is often found at some distance from the water. 

 There can be no doubt that it frequently seeks its food 

 on the land, perhaps when it has exhausted the ditch 

 or brook to which it has attached itself ; for it appears, 

 from Mr. Dovaston's account, to remain for a long 

 season the denizen of one chosen spot, where it pairs, 

 and probably rears its offspring. 



The female, which is a little smaller than the male, 

 produces from five to seven or eight young. Some assert 

 that nine is the ordinary number ; but hitherto we have 

 not ourselves seen more than six. 



It is remarkable that so beautiful and interesting an 

 animal should for a long time have been so entirely 

 unknown or neglected by the naturalists of this country, 

 especially when it is considered that its presumed rarity 

 can only be attributed to the want of observation ; as 

 numerous localities have been ascertained since Mr. 

 Dovaston recalled our attention to it. It has been met 

 with in Scotland, and is too common in most parts of 

 England to render an enumeration of localities necessary. 

 In other European countries also it appears to be so 

 well known that we refrain from particulars, but may 

 remark that we are unaware whether it has been seen 

 in Ireland, and we do not find it associated with our 

 two other species of Shrews by Dr. Leopold Von 

 Schrenck, in his work on the Mammalia of the Amoor 

 River. A Shrew of this genus from the Himalayas has 

 been described by our friend Dr. Gray under the name 



