48 DIVISION I. VEKTEnilAL ANIMALS. — CLASS I. MAMMALIA. 



Tiiko tlic mole, it is a miner ;uid skilful engineer, and constructs curions 

 I'-allcrics near ponds and streams to wliicli they lead. In its habits it is 

 extremely aquatic, swimming with two thirds of the body out of water, 

 and di\ing \vitli ease to the bottom, in pursuit of worms and insects, on 

 which it exclusively subsists. Its length, including the tail, is five inches 

 and a quarter. An interesting acccjiuit of the A\ ater Shrew is fur- 

 ni.^hed bv -Mr. Dovaston : "On a delicious evening far in April, 182.'), a 

 little before sunset, strolling in my orchard, beside a pool, and looking into 

 the clear water for insects I expected about that time to come out, I was 

 surprised by seeing what I momentarily imagined to be a JJi/stirns niar- 

 <liiiiilis, or some very large beetle, dart with rapid motion, and suddenly 

 di.-appear. Laying myself down cautiously and motioidess on the grass, 

 1 ,~oon, to my delight and wonder, observed it was a mouse. I rej)eatedly 

 marked it glide from the bank, under water, .and biu'y itself in the mass of 

 lea\es at the bottom : I mean the leaves that had fallen off the trees in 

 autumn, and which lay very thick over the mud. It very shortly returned, 

 and entered the bank, occasionally putting its long, sharp nose out of water, 

 and paddling ck)se to the edge. This it repeated at very frequent intervals, 

 from place to place, seldom going more than two 3'ards from the side, and 

 alw.-ivs returning in about half a nunute. I presume it sought and obtaini'd 

 some insect oi' food among the rubbish and lea\'cs, and retired to consume 

 it. Sometimes it would run a little on the surface, and sometimes timidly 

 and hastilv come ashore, but with the utmost caution, and instantly plunge 

 in again. I)uring the whole sweet spring of th.-it fine year, I constantly 

 visited mv new acquaintance. AVhea imder water he Icxjks gray, on 

 account of the pearly cluster of minute air-liubljles th.at adhere to his fur 

 and bespangle him all over. He swims \ery rapidly, and, though he 

 seems to ilmi, his very nimble wriggle is clearly diseerniblc." 



In addition to the above, ten otlit'r species have been discovered, but their 

 domestic habits have not been clearly ascertained. 



III. F.rJXACEID.T; — IIkdceiiogs. 



This family is confined exclusively to the Eastern Continent and tlie 

 contiguous islands. In this group we find the fiu' gradually passing from 

 a bristly to a s[iinous character, very similar to a corresponding family — 

 J'urciip/ucs — among the liodentia. 



Genus C'kntenes — Tenrccs. These animals arc covered with spines, 

 and ha\e an elon^'ateil and very pointed muzzle, lint are destitute of a tail. 

 In habits they are noctin'ual, and although iidial)iting the tropical regions, 

 pass three UKinths of the year in a torpid state. They are chiefly from 

 INIadagascar, and are sometimes called INIadairascar Hedgehogs. Three 



