70 'WEE TIM'ROUS BEASTIES' 



described by Jenyns in 1837, it is probably much 

 more common than is often supposed. As has 

 already been said, absence of records does not 

 necessarily imply remissness or ignorance on 

 the part of the older observers ; there is always 

 the possibility that the species was not then 

 present in a given area. 



Meantime our little specimens, like the bank 

 voles, are interesting as being the first recorded, 

 in 1904, from this county. This little shrew 

 has been found in most of the Islands, where it 

 is almost certainly the prevalent species. A 

 curious record for so tiny a creature is one in 

 1897 from the summit of Ben Nevis ! but there 

 always remains the possibility that it may have 

 found its way there in the packing material of 

 some goods carried up to the 'Hotel' at the top. 

 Another interesting instance is that of a speci- 

 men sent to the present writer in November, 

 1 908, by the head stalker of Coig-na-fearn deer 

 forest with the following note : 



1 1 think the enclosed is the smallest of our 

 mice. It was got on its travels in Coig-na-fearn 

 Forest at a height of not less than 2000 feet 

 above sea-level, and crossing a piece of snow.' 



On being sent to the Royal Scottish Museum 

 the identification of the specimen as S. minutus 

 (v. pygmaeus) was confirmed by Mr. Eagle- 



