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Specimens 817-8 in the Smithsonian Institution were collected by Dr. 

 Kirtland, at Cleveland, Ohio, and 2,140-3 by E, Newton, at Salem, Ohio. 

 {Blarina talpoides, Baird, Mamm. N. A., 1867, 42.) 



History and Habits. — This is the largest, or one of the largest American 

 Shrews; it is active and strong; the snout and head are powerful, and 

 apparently much used in burrowing. It does not burrow under the 

 ground continuously, as does the Mole, but passes along under the grass 

 or leaves, seeking its food, occasionally inclining downwards under the 

 soil, for a foot or more, and then coming to the surface. It does not dig 

 out the earth, but presses it aside, descending beneath obstructions that 

 come in its way, rather than going around them. This is the most 

 abundant of our Shrews, abounding both in woods, meadows, and prairies. 

 In some large areas it is impossible to find a foot-square not crossed by 

 the net-work of well beaten, leaf-covered galleries made by this Shrew 

 in its search for slugs, earth-worms, and the like. They are difficult to 

 get, escaping quickly when once unearthed. They are found at any 

 season lying dead on the earth, left uneaten by birds or carnivorous 

 beasts on account of the disagreeable odor emitted from the body glands. 

 Its traces are not found in swamps or sloughs ; it prefers high ground, 

 and is in no sense aquatic. It it active in the coldest weather in winter, 

 like others of the family in the north. From Mr. Kennicott's interest- 

 ing notes on the habits of this species in confinement, I quote the fol- 

 lowing: 



" While alive, the minute black eye is distinctly seen, and always open ; but, though 

 the sense of sight may be possessed in the dark, it certainly is not used in the full light. 

 Upon waving different objects before one, or thrusting my finger or a stick close to its 

 face, no uotice was taken of it whatever; but if I made any noise near by, it always 

 started. If the floor were struck, or even the air disturbed, it would start back from 

 that direction. I observed no indication that an acute sense of smell enabled it to 

 recognize objects at any considerable distance, but its hearing was remarkable, An ex- 

 ceedingly delicate sense of touch was exhibited by the whiskers, and if, after irritating 

 a Shrew, I placed a stick against it in even the most gentle manner, the animal would 

 instantly spring at it. I could see that in running along the floor it stopped the moment 

 its whiskers touched anything; and, often when at full speed, it would turn aside just 

 before reaching an object against which it seemed about to strike, and which it certainly 

 had not seen. Unless enraged by being teased, it endeavored to smell every new object 

 with which its whiskers came in contact, turning its long flexible snout with great fa- 

 cility for this purpose. My c^ged specimens, both male and female, exhibited great 

 pugnacity. When I touched, one several times with a stick, it wonld become much en- 

 raged, snapping and crying out angrily. When attacked by a Meadow Mouse confined 

 in a cage with it, one fought fiercely ; and though it did not pursue its adversary when 

 the latter moved otf, neither did it ever retreat ; but the instant the Mouse came close, 

 it sprang at him, apparently not guided in the least by sight. It kept its nose and 

 whiskers constantly moving from side to side, and often sprang fiorward with an angry 

 cry, when the mouse was not near, as if deceived in thinking it had heard or felt a 

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