Scraps in Natural History. 237 



the structure and the habits of animals with profit and satisfac- 

 tion. Goldsmith has detailed the conduct of a spider ; Addison 

 watched the interesting motions of an ant, and could represent 

 himself as highly entertained with his friend Roger de Coverly's 

 hen and chickens; and omitting the citation of many more nota- 

 ble instances, the gentle Cowper could say of his hare — 



" I kept him for his humor's sake, 

 For he would oft beguile 

 My heart of thoughts that made it ache, 

 And force me to a smile." 



During some examinations into the natural history of this sec- 

 tion of the country,* I have several times confined to my study 

 some of the smaller animals captured in the fields and woods, for 

 the purpose of witnessing their artifices and stratagems, the im- 

 pulses of their nature. The results of some of my observations 

 during the attempts at domestication of a few minor quadrupeds, 

 are given below : whether what is there communicated is new to 

 the naturalist, or being new is sufficiently interesting to be wor- 

 thy of being presented to any of your readers, you have a better 

 opportunity of knowing than I have. 



Sorex brevicaudatus, or Short-tailed Shrew. — This nimble lit- 

 tle creature, placed in an empty box, was observed to be very 

 adroit in catching flies thrown in to him ; but he never ran 

 across the box to seize them, nor on any occasion did I ever dis- 

 cover that he left the sides and corners of it. Some cooked meat 

 was given him the evening he was caught, and soon after eating 

 it he died, but whether in consequence of being poisoned by the 

 condiments upon the meat, or of the injuries inflicted while cap- 

 turing him, I cannot tell. 



In the spring of 1842 I caught another shrew, under a very 

 rotten log, which it had converted into a perfect labyrinth ; and 

 in the largest excavation it had constructed a bed of dry leaves. 

 Having nothing better at hand, I picked up a vertebra of a horse, 

 and fastening the little animal in the spinal canal, I brought him 

 safely home. Turning him out into a glass vessel five inches 

 deep, with perpendicular sides, I covered it with a book, upon 

 which I laid the vertebra, and supposed my little captive was 

 perfectly secure. In a short time after leaving it, however, he 



* Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana. 



