COMMON SHREW. 21 



So enormous numbers are killed yearly ; and the Mole-catcher 

 boasts of his great annual catches. But the astute Mole- 

 catcher refrains from destroying the nests, for were he to do so 

 his occupation would be gone. The Mole squeaks much like a 

 Bat or Shrew. 



The Mole appears to be plentiful in all parts of England, 

 Wales and Scotland, wherever there are earthworms ; it has 

 been found even at an elevation of 2,700 feet. But it does not 

 occur in Ireland, the Shetlands, Orkneys, Outer Hebrides, or 

 the Isle of Man. 



Colour variations have been recorded including cream, 

 orange-pink, whitish with markings nearly black, orange or 

 yellowish, as well as wholly grey, fawn or ash-coloured. 



Common Shrew (Sorcx araneus, Linn.). 



Along the hedge-bank, the ditch-side and the edge of the 

 spinney in the evening, may be seen one of the smallest and 

 prettiest of our mammals, a minute dusky red-brown creature 

 with long flexible pointed snout turned up ever and anon to 

 reach an insect on the grass-stems. Although he has bright 

 bead-like eyes his range of vision is very short, and if we keep 

 quiet and undemonstrative we can watch him without his being 

 aware of our presence. 



This is the Common Shrew or Shrew-mouse, an inoffensive 

 and useful creature, for its food is restricted to insects, snails, 

 woodlice and the other small fry that annoy man without the 

 latter being able to do much in retaliation. As he sits there 

 among the long-stalked trefoils and nodding flowers of the' 

 wood-sorrel we are able to get a good view of him. 



With a combined length of head and body amounting only 

 to three inches, his long hairy tail adds nearly half as much 

 again but the tail length varies a good deal in different indi- 

 viduals. His bilobed snout extends far beyond his mouth, and 



