36 THE SHREW'S FIDELITY AND COURAGE. 



runways under the snow, and picks up softened seeds and dormant insects 

 almost as conveniently as in midsummer. 



In these winter burrows, which seem to be placed deeper underground 

 in northern than in milder latitudes, a ball - like nest is constructed of 

 leaves, grass -blades, and fibrous roots, in which, as spring approaches, 

 four to six young are born, naked and blind. The late Dr. G. Lincecum 

 had several families of shrews in captivity, and learned that the young 

 remained blind until they were half-grown. The father assisted in their 

 care, bringing home grasshoppers and crickets to the nursing mother; 

 and all the actions of the married pair indicated affection and caressing 

 kindness. The end of this family of pets was distressing. The male 

 escaped, whereupon another pair of captive shrews, making their way into 

 the box where the unguarded family was domiciled, killed and ate not 

 only the little ones, but the widowed mother also. 



This incident was quite in keeping with the ferocity of the shrew 

 character. Like the kinglet and hummingbird, who, though pygmies 

 among their kind, begin and end a fight with an impetuous fury no eagle 

 could exceed, this diminutive quadruped feels that he has courage as big 

 as a lion's. It is rare that two strangers meet without a battle. Caged 

 specimens exhibit the greatest pugnacity. A touch irritates them, and 

 they will leap at a stick in comical rage, snapping and crying out angrily. 

 Robert Kennieott put into a cage with a short-tailed shrew a meadow- 

 mouse (Arvicola) twice its size, which at once attacked its small neighbor ; 

 but if the mouse anticipated an easy victory it was mistaken. The little 

 knight of the burrow stood straight up and fought fiercely; and if it 

 did not pursue its adversary when the latter moved off, neither did it 

 ever retreat, but the instant the mouse came close again, sprang at him, 

 guided, apparently, wholly by hearing and touch. This courage will 

 explain how the small creature can attack and conquer frogs and other 

 animals far larger than itself, as, according to European writers, it is well 

 known to do. 



The activity of the shrew is marked. When one is surprised under 

 a log, or turned up by the plough, it gets out of sight with astonishing 

 celerity. In this headlong rush the long and extremely sensitive whiskers 

 do the work of the deficient sight, so that when at full speed it will turn 

 aside just before reaching an object against which it seemed just about 

 to strike, and which certainly had not been seen. 



A shrew dislikes to cross an open space, or go out of shelter and shad- 

 ow. This action is prompted by the timidity which, paradoxically, seems 

 quite as phenomenally developed in the shrew as its courage. A gentle- 



