THE ERD SHREW, OR SHREW MOUSE. 



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PASSING in a regular gradation from the moles to the shrews and hedgehogs, we 

 pause for a while at the powerfully scented animal that is called, by virtue of its per- 

 fumed person, the MUSK-RAT of India, and is also known by the titles of MONDJOUROU, 

 and SONDELI. 



This animal is a native of various parts of India, and is very well known on account 

 of the extremely powerful scent which exudes from certain glands that are situated in 

 the under parts of the body and on the flanks. 



The odoriferous substance which is secreted by the above-mentioned glands, is of a 

 musky nature, and possesses the property of penetrating and adhering to every substance 

 over which the Musk-Rat has passed. The musky odor clings so pertinaciously to the 

 objects which are impregnated with its tainting contact, that in many cases they become 

 entirely useless. Provisions of all kinds are frequently spoiled by the evil odor with 

 which they are saturated ; and 

 of so penetrating a nature is 

 the musky scent, that the com- 

 bined powers of glass and cork 

 are unable to preserve the con- 

 tents of bottles from its un- 

 pleasant influence. Let but a 

 Sondeli run over a bottle of 

 wine, and the contained liquid 

 will be so powerfully scented 

 with a musky savor that it will 

 be rendered unfit for civilized 

 palates, and must be removed 

 from the neighborhood of other 

 wines, lest the contaminating 

 influence should extend to 

 them also. 



In color it is not unlike the 

 common shrew of England ; 

 having a slight chestnut, or 

 reddish tinge, upon a mouse- 

 colored ground, fading into 

 gray on the under parts of the 



body. In size, however, it is much the superior of that animal ; being nearly as large as 

 the common brown or " Hanoverian '' rat. The hair is very short, and the peculiar red- 

 dish-brown hue of the fur is caused by the different timings of the upper and under fur. 



DURING the autumnal months of the year, the country roads and by-paths are fre- 

 quently rendered remarkable by the presence of little mouse-like animals, with long 

 snouts and peculiarly squared tails, that lie dead upon the ground, without mark of 

 external injury to account for the manner of their decease. 



There are probably many other such corpses upon the wide and grassy meadow 

 lands, but, owing to the nature of the ground, they are not so conspicuous as those upon 

 the smoothly trodden paths. The presence of these deceased creatures is the more 

 remarkable, because there are so many predatory animals and birds, such as cats, weasels, 

 stoats, owls, and hawks, which would be very likely to kill such small prey, but, having 

 slain them would be almost sure to eat them. These unsepultured remains are the bodies 

 of the SHREW-MOUSE of England, otherwise known by the name of ERD SHREW. Another 

 title by which this little animal is known, in some parts of England, is the Fetid 

 Shrew ; a name which has been given to it on account of the powerful scent which it 

 exudes ; and the creature is called in Scotland, the Ranny, a name which is evidently 

 modified from the Latin term, araneus, or spider-like, which has been applied to 

 this animal by several writers, because it was said to bite poisonously like a 

 spider. 



The teeth of the true Shrew are very peculiar, so much so, indeed, that they cannot 

 2$ 



SONDELI. Sore* murlaus. 



