22 ANIMAL LIFE OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



is well furnished with whiskers. His hind-foot a distinguish- 

 ing feature in the Shrews measures just over half an inch. 

 He is clad in a coat of soft, close, silky fur whose dark upper 

 part pales to dirty yellowish grey beneath, and his hairy feet 

 and tail are flesh-coloured. The dark coloration may vary to 

 almost or entirely black. The hairs on the tail are short and 

 stiff, almost like little spines. A gland on each flank, midway 

 between elbow and thigh, provides the disagreeable musky 

 odour which is its sole protection against enemies. 



In winter he spends his time in hedge-bottoms and copses 

 among the dead leaves, but not in sleep as stated often. In 

 summer he moves out into the fields and rough pastures, where 

 there are tufts of coarse grass in which he can take cover, and 

 from which he makes runs through the surrounding grass. 

 Here he may be seen at times actually climbing the stout 

 grass stems after insects ; sometimes he climbs a tree. His 

 toes are well separated, and this enables him to climb. Al- 

 though the feet are not well formed for digging he can burrow 

 expeditiously in light vegetable soil with the forefeet, and can 

 bury himself in twelve seconds ; but, as a rule, he is more 

 inclined to utilise the common underground runs of Mice where 

 these are available. The long, attenuated and sensitive snout, 

 like those of the Pig and Hedgehog, are well adapted for 

 turning over dead leaves and the surface soil in its search for 

 insects, worms, and snails ; and its short, soft, velvety fur fits 

 it for passage through the soil without getting dirty. His 

 movements are not nearly so rapid as those of the Mice, and 

 it is consequently a better subject for observation. It is by no 

 means an unusual sight to see it swimming, and in accordance 

 with this semi-aquatic habit, it frequently makes its nest on 

 the banks of ditches. The nursery is a cup-shaped nest woven 

 of dry grass and other herbage with a loose roof beneath which 

 the Shrew makes its entrances and exits. These are frequently 

 uncovered by the mowers at haying time. 



