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mountains, to Tennessee and South Carolina. Kennicott reports it 
as far south in Illinois as Murphysboro, Jackson county. The only 
specimens in our collection are from Normal, in McLean county, and 
from a tamarack swamp in McHenry county. 
This species is easily distinguished from our other shrews by its 
small size and long tail. The measurements for adult specimens are 
about as follows: Total length, 4 in. (100 mm.); tail, 1.5 in. (40 
mma.) hind TOOt, 2 ie. (2 sain), 
The color above is sepia, and the long hairs are tipped with clove- 
brown; below, it is ashy gray. The tail is dark above, whitish below. 
We have taken the species only in swamps or low ground, but it 
has been taken in almost every possible habitat within its range. 
It has not been found in this county so far as I can ascertain, though 
it is probably present here in small numbers. 
All that we know of its habits indicates that this species, like all 
the other shrews, is exceedingly energetic and voracious. Merriam 
says ‘“‘In less than eight hours one of these tiny wild beasts had 
attacked, overcome, and ravenously consumed two of its own 
species, each as large and as heavy as itself.”’ It does not hibernate, 
but is active all winter, even when the temperature is below zero. 
The number in a litter, as reported, varies from two to ten. 
There are six mamme, and probably they indicate about the 
average number of young. Embryos have been found in speci- 
mens from June to September at least. This would imply two or 
three litters a year. 
So far as known this shrew is beneficial to man and worthy of 
protection. A closely related European species has been known to 
catch young trout, but the habit has never been reported for our 
species. 
BACHMAN’S SHREW. 
Sorex longirostris Bachman. 
(QictirawAcads Nate scr Phil ie Pante line tS sin. Ppa Ooi) Smtlel ee exelhiler Fig. 2) 
A single specimen taken November 14, 1907, in a tamarack 
swamp near Pistakee Bay, McHenry county, Illinois, is referred to 
this species by C. Hart Merriam. The skull was badly smashed by 
the trap. When Merriam’s paper on the shrews was published, in 
1895, the only known specimens of this species were a half dozen 
from Raleigh, North Carolina. In regard to our specimen sent to 
