SORICIDAE 625 
the chrysalides and larve of insects that are always to be found in 
such places.” Dr. Merriam has made the interesting discovery 
that the common short-tailed North American Shrew supplements 
its insectivorous fare by feeding on beech-nuts, which will account 
for the generally very worn state of the teeth in this species. 
Crossopus.—Dentition : i 3, ¢ 4, p 2, m 3; total 30. Opening 
of male or female generative organs enclosed within the same ring 
as the anal orifice ; penis broad, with lateral processes. ars small, 
not truncated. Tail long, with an inferior fringe of elongated 
hair ; feet also fringed. Habits aquatic. The Palearctic Water- 
Shrew (C. fodiens) is considerably larger than the Common Shrew, 
from which it is readily distinguished externally by its shorter and 
much broader muzzle, comparatively smaller eyes, and larger feet 
adapted for swimming,—the sides of the feet and toes being pro- 
vided with comb-like fringes of stiff hairs. The tail is longer than 
the body, and possesses a well-developed swimming fringe of 
moderately long, regularly arranged hairs, which extend along the 
middle of the flat under surface from the end of its basal third to 
its extremity. The fur of the body is long and very dense, varying 
much in colour in different individuals, and this has given rise to 
descriptions of many nominal species; the prevailing shades are 
dark brown, almost black, above, and more or less bright ashy 
tinged with yellowish beneath ; sometimes in the same litter there 
are individuals with the under surface more or less dark coloured. 
In the. number as well as in the shape of the teeth the Water- 
Shrew differs from the Common Shrew: there is a premolar 
less on each side above; the bases of the teeth are much more 
prolonged posteriorly ; and their cusps are much less stained brown, 
so that in old individuals with worn teeth they often appear alto- 
gether white. This species resembles the otter in its aquatic 
habits, swimming and diving with great agility. It frequents 
rivers and lakes, making its burrows in the overhanging banks, 
from which when disturbed it escapes into the water. Its food 
consists of insects and their larve, small crustaceans, and probably 
the fry of small fishes. It is generally distributed throughout 
England, is less common in Scotland, and as yet it has not been 
recorded in Ireland ; specimens have been obtained from many parts 
of Europe, and also from Asia as far eastward as the Altai Mountains. 
Subfamily Crocidurinze.—Teeth completely white. 
Myosorex.2—Dentition : i 3, ¢ 3, p <5, m %; total 30 or 32. 
Penis cylindroid and tapering; male or female generative organs 
opening close to anal orifice, but not forming a cloaca. Ears well 
developed ; tail long, clothed with equal or subequal hairs. Habits 
terrestrial. 
This genus is typically represented by M. varius, a very small 
1 Wagler, Zsis, 1832, p. 275. 2 Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1837, p. 124. 
40 
