THE MAMMALS OF FLANDERS. 187 



They live in holes in the bank, with a kind of idatform of mud 

 or earth sloping; down to the water's edge, and can generally he 

 caught by placing the trap on this platform. 



Some of the specimens I got were of a beautiful black colour 

 all over; others had a warm chestnut-brown patch on the 

 breast in the middle line ; while a few had white ear-tufts and a 

 white median line down the belly and extending along the 

 underside of the tail. 



Crocidura leacodon. 



This very handsome and rare Shrew proved to be com- 

 paratively plentiful. They were caught in hollow willow- 

 trees and in banks, but not on flat ground as Sorex araneus 

 often is. 



Cheese was the only bait that attracted them, except in the 

 case of one that had eaten half an almond by the time the trap 

 w^ent off. 



This is a fine Shrew in its winter pelage, and differs from 

 S. araneus, amongst other points, in having long hairs (5 mm.) 

 in the tail as well as the close short hairs. 



Also it has a definite line of demarcation between the colour 

 of the fur of the upper parts and the belly. 



The colour of the upper parts varies from slaty drab to dull 

 russet, while the under parts and inner surface of the limbs are 

 buffy white. 



Also the dorsal surfaces of the feet are almost white. The 

 skull and teeth, too, differ in many points. 



The ears, though small, stand out conspicuously above the 

 fur, and have two well-developed valves. 



Geographical distribution : Central Europe from Belgium to 

 Hungary ; south to Italy ; not known from the Iberian 

 peninsula. 



Crocidura russula. The Garden Shrew. 



Very common in gardens and close to farm-buildings. 



It differs from C. leucodon, amongst other things, in not 

 having a white belly nor a line of demarcation on the sides. 

 One specimen was caught in the fire-trench. 



Mustela nivalis. Weasel. 



The only specimen I procured was killed during the threshing 

 of a corn-rick. 



Zool. 4th ser., vol. XX., April, 1926. M 



