SHREWS. 



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toothed shrews are quite unknown in Africa south of the Sahara, and they are 

 only represented in India and the rest of the Oriental region by a single small 



genus (Soricidiis). 



The common shrew, found abundantly in the British Islands, 



*' measures just short of 3 inches in length, exclusive of the tail, and is 

 usually of a reddish mouse-colour above, paler beneath, with the tail somewhat 

 quadrangular and rather shorter than the body. There is, however, considerable 

 individual variation in colour, specimens being sometimes found banded with white. 

 Like the mole, the common shrew has a wide geographical range, 

 extending from England, through Europe and Asia to North America. 

 The facility with which this species conceals itself has been already mentioned. Its 



Habits. 



THE SPIDER 'MUSK-SHREW AND COMMON SHREW (nat. size). 



food is chiefly insects and worms, supplemented by snails and slugs. In disposition 

 it is so pugnacious that two are rarely seen together except when engaged 

 in combat ; and if two or more are confined together, it is not long before the 

 stronger kills the less robust. The strong scent with which the shrew is provided 

 probably acts as a preventive against the attacks of some of its foes, but it is now 

 ascertained that this is not sufficiently repulsive to deter owls from killing and 

 devouring shrews. It was long considered that the numbers of dead shrews to be 

 found in most gardens during the autumn were due to the attacks of cats, which 

 are known to kill, although they will not eat these animals. Dr. Dobson considers, 

 however, that the real cause of death is rather to be attributed to insufficiency of 

 their proper food at that season of the year ; and this interpretation is supported 

 by the consideration that it would be otherwise difficult to account for the mortality 

 being confined to one period of the year. Shrews hibernate in Europe throughout 

 the winter, and during the spring and summer produce their litters of blind and 



