SHRE WS. 325 
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 (Soriculus). 
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 
Common Shrew. 
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 
