SHREWS. 327 



THE SHORT-TAILED OR EARLESS SHREWS. 

 Genus Blarina. 



With the exception of the water-shrews, the only other members of the red- 

 toothed section of the family to which we shall allude are the so-called short-tailed 

 and earless shrews, of North and Central America. These shrews are readily 

 distinguished by their short tails and the truncation of the upper part of their ears ; 

 some of them having the same number of teeth as the typical shrews, while in 

 others the number is reduced to thirty. The variation in the size of the different 

 species of this genus is nearly as marked as in the preceding one. 



The common short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda) occurs in the Adirondack 

 Mountains, near New York, and is remarkable for remaining active during the 

 whole of the rigorous winters of these regions, having been observed running 

 about on the snow when the thermometer indicated 20 below zero. This peculiar 

 habit is correlated with equally marked peculiarities in the diet of this species, 

 which frequents both the dense pine forests of the uncultivated districts, and the 

 cleared tracts of the inhabited regions. This shrew, writes Dr. Merriam, " seeks 

 its food both by day and night ; and, although the greater part of its life is doubt- 

 less spent under ground, or at least under logs and leaves, and amongst the roots of 

 trees and stumps, it occasionally makes excursions upon the surface, and I have met 

 and secured many specimens in broad daylight. It subsists upon beech-nuts, insects, 

 earthworms, slugs, sow-bugs, and mice, and can in no way be considered other than 

 as a friend to the farmer." 



THE WATER-SHREW. 

 Genus Crossopus. 



The water-shrew (Crossopus fodiens) is the sole representative of a genus 

 agreeing with some of the short-tailed shrews in possessing thirty teeth, but distin- 

 guished by the small ears not being truncated, by the long tail, and also by the 

 fringes of long hair on the under surface of the latter and on the feet. This shrew, 

 as its name implies, is of thoroughly aquatic habits ; the fringes of stiff hair on 

 the tail and limbs being designed to afford aid in swimming. In length it measures 

 about 3J inches, exclusive of the long tail. Owing to the circumstances, that while 

 in most cases the under-parts of the body are white, while in others they partake 

 more or less completely of the black hue of the back, it was formerly considered 

 that there were two distinct species of water-shrews, although subsequent observa- 

 tions have shown that such variations are merely individual. 



The water-shrew, although unknown in Ireland, is commonly, 

 but locally, distributed over England and the south of Scotland. It 

 likewise occurs over a large area of continental Europe, from whence it extends 

 eastwards into Asia as far as the Atlas range. In the water these graceful little 

 creatures are as much at home as water-voles or beavers ; and in clear streams they 

 may not unfrequently be observed during the day diving or running along the 



