240 Sc?-aps in Natural History. 



servo, that unless he was called into the area of the room, he 

 never approached his box or any other point, except by a circuit- 

 ous route against the wall. To his box he would always retire 

 to repose during the hot noons of summer, and it was evident 

 that at this period he did not like to be disturbed ; nevertheless 

 at the well known call he always came, but never at these sea- 

 sons with his usual alacrity. The buzz of a fly would usually 

 attract him to the surface ; but in his dozing hours, if he heard 

 at all, he always heard it with unconcern. 



A full grown and living mouse being one day put into his box, 

 very naturally secreted itself among the pieces of wood ; but it 

 had scarcely had time to reach the chambers below, before it 

 suddenly appeared at the surface again, fiercely pursued by the 

 shrew : down it went, and up it came, around and through all 

 the meanderings of the box it flew, with erect ears and wildly 

 staring eyes, and every token of astonishment and fear, the eager 

 shrew being at its heels, till by fair chasing it was overtaken by 

 the proper tenant of the box. I think I never witnessed more 

 lively demonstrations of terror, than were exhibited by this poor 

 mouse during the pursuit. While in the grasp of the shrew it 

 made no resistance and uttered no cry, and so resolute and blood- 

 thirsty did the shrew appear, that no noises or jarrings of the box 

 frightened it ; and it was not until I repeatedly punched it with 

 a rule, that I induced it to relinquish its hold. But the mouse 

 was dead ; its feet, tail, snout, neck and cheeks being much lace- 

 rated. Another mouse met with the same fate, and nearly in the 

 same manner. 



While thus experimenting with this shrew, a person stepping 

 into the office, said he had brought me a novel kind of mouse ; 

 but on examining his pocket, he found it had escaped. He left 

 me, spent the greater part of the day in engagements about town, 

 and in the evening returned to tell me that the "mouse," which 

 proved to be a shrew, was under the back of his coat. Thither 

 the little creature had crept, as to a place more congenial to its 

 feelings of security. It was younger than the one already in my 

 possession. Carefully securing it, I put it into the box with the 

 other shrew : it went below, and remained there much of the 

 time, but was frequently chased by the older one, without being 

 often overtaken. Sometimes in their wanderings about the box, 

 they would unexpectedly meet upon the surface, when a vigor- 



