ii8 



THE INSECT-EATERS. 



shrill cries. Their activity lasts through the 

 whole year. They seek for insects, larvae, 

 worms, and snails even under the snoW. 

 When two shrews meet there mostly begins 

 a battle for life or death ; the vicror at once 

 eats up his antagonist. They nvc not even 



Kig. 49.— i ne uaruen-shrew (Crocidura araitea). 



afraid of attacking animals much stronger 

 than themselves. 



The females have mostly four, seldom six 

 abdominal teats, and suckle their blind and 

 shapeless young ones in their secure retreats 

 for a comparatively long time. A regular 

 nest is made for the purpose. 



In this group are included the smallest 

 mammals. The body of the shrew of Tus- 

 cany (Sorex etruscus {Crocidura etruscd) ) is 

 less than an inch and a half in length, while 

 the tail measures just about one inch. 



Illustrations are given of two species which 

 are of peculiar interest on account of their 

 habits. 



The Garden-shrew {Crocidura araned), fig. 

 49, has not more than 28 perfectly white 

 teeth, and has a fur like that of a small 

 mouse. Of all species this is the one that 



comes nearest human dwellings, especially 

 during the winter, being frequently found by 

 day in outhouses, stables, and barns, while 

 by night it pays visits to the kitchen and 

 larder in search of meal-worms, cockroaches, 

 crickets, and other insects. Much evil has 

 been spoken of the little creature, and, if one 

 might believe old wives' fables, the malicious 

 animal gnaws the hoofs of horses, sheep, 

 and swine, makes attacks on the smoked 

 meat in the stoves, and even takes the life of 

 fowls, or at least of chickens, in the most 

 scandalous manner. If these fables were 

 true, it would be impossible to rear any 

 domestic fowls at all, in face of the large 

 numbers of these little creatures which 

 manage to slip in everywhere with ease. I 

 observed for a long time the habits of some 

 shrew-mice which had established themselves 

 among some bundles of wood in an open 

 shed opposite the window of my room. 

 Every evening they gave me warning of the 

 commencement of their hunt by uttering their 

 shrill cries. 



If the shrews deserve help and protection 

 on the part of man for the services they 

 render him in destroying vermin, it is 

 different with the large Water-shrew {Crosso- 

 pus fodiens), fig. 50, which attains the size of 

 a small rat. Its teeth, 34 in number, have 

 red points. The tail is somewhat flattened, 

 and stiff hairs standing in rows on the edge 

 of the toes appear to take the place of a web. 



The ordinary food of the water-shrew con- 

 sists of insects, worms, water-snails, even of 

 frogs and lizards, and if that were all there 

 would be no great harm done. But there is 

 no doubt that it also "attacks fish, and works 

 not a little devastation in ponds and tanks. 

 In winter when the water is covered with ice 

 it will even attack a large carp two pounds 

 in weight, seizing it by the neck, after which 

 it eats out its eyes and brain, getting access 

 to the latter by biting through the skull with 

 its recurved fangs. The more agile fishes, 

 such as the trout, escape from its pursuit. 



