THE MUSK RAT. 15 



mole itself in the extent of the tunnels which it excavates. Like 

 the mole, it drives its burrows below the surface of the ground, 

 throws up hillocks at intervals, and feeds chiefly on earthworms. 

 The eyes of this creature are very minute, and deeply hidden in 

 the soft fur. Unlike the mole, however, it is in the constant 

 habit of coming to the surface of the ground, and passing into the 

 full blaze of the noontide sun. At that time of day the animal 

 may be caught by driving a spade under it, so as to cut off its 

 retreat, and by flinging it to some distance from its tunneL 



Mr. Peale mentions that a Shrew Mole in his possession was 

 able to bend the snout to such an extent as to force food into 

 its mouth. The European mole, flexible as is its mobile snout, 

 possesses no such power, but is obliged to perform that task 

 with its fore paws. 



Then, there is the Elephant Sheew of Southern Africa 

 (Macroscelides tt/pietts), a thick-furred, long-snouted, short-eared 

 burrower, which has a rather remarkable method of sinking its 

 tunnels, first boring a nearly perpendicular shaft, and then 

 driving its buirow at an angle. It is not so devoted to a sub- 

 terranean existence as either of the preceding animals, and loves 

 to come out of its burrow and bask in the genial sunbeams. It 

 is, however, as wary as the rest of its kindred, and at the leai.t 

 alarm darts off to its subterranean fastnesses. While basking in 

 the warm rays, it generally sits erect, facing the sun, so as to 

 receive every ray. 



Our last example of the Shrews is the remarkable animal which 

 is popularly called the MusK Eat [Myogalea vioschata), though 

 it is an insectivorous animal, and far removed from the rodents. 

 The river Wolga is the favourite resort of this curious quadruped, 

 which seems to hate dry land as much as the beaver, and to 

 spend the greater part of its time in the water. The Musk 

 Eat is an admirable burrower, making its tunnels of consider- 

 able length, some of them extending to a distance of twenty 

 feet. There is only one entrance, which is always below the 

 water ; and the burrow rises gradually upwards, so that at the 

 extremity the animal is lodged on dry ground. It is instinctively 

 careful to avoid too close a proximity to the surface of the earth, 

 lest the roof of its home might fall, and disclose the interior to 

 the unwelcome light. 



The odour which has already been mentioned as belonging to 



