DWARF SHREW 83 



creatures were, howeiver, unusually, active, and when 

 exposed to the light would wriggle and crawl about in 

 an energetic endeavour to hide themselves. 



I have tried to keep this little Shrew in the Zoological 

 Gardens, as well as one other species {Crocidura 

 silacea), but with not much success. The large Shrew 

 (G. flavescens) is of a light reddish brown above, with 

 long, soft fur, and whitish below. Length of head and 

 body nearly 4 inches, tail 2 inches. 



The other genus (Myosorex) resembles Crocidura to 

 a large extent, differing only in certain anatomical 

 characters. It contains only a few species, the best 

 known perhaps being the Grey Shrew or Skearer Muis 

 {Myosorex varius), which has a small pencil of hairs at 

 tip of the tail, and of which we append an illustration. 

 This little animal measures about 3J inches long with 

 the tail another 1| inches, and is brown above, finely 

 speckled with grey. 



family CHKYSOCHLOEID^. 



This family contains the beautiful Golden Moles of 

 South Africa, which are included in the two genera, 

 Chrysochloris and Amblyosojnus, smd are characterized 

 by the iridescent colours of the fur, which change in 

 different lights. They are mole-like animals, differing, 

 however, from the true moles in certain well-marked 

 anatomical characters, such as the structure of the 

 manubrium and clavicles, and in that of the band, which 

 bears but one exaggerated and lengthened claw for 

 digging, whereas that of the true moles bears five 

 strongly developed digging claws. They have very small 

 eyes, which are nearly concealed by the skin, and ears 

 devoid of conches, opening by a simple aperture almost 

 3 



