300 



THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. 



with Mice. In a short time, from a hole entered by 

 the Shrew, a Field-Mouse came creeping in great 

 terror, with the Shrew on its back. The greedy 

 beast of prey had fastened its teeth to the neck of 

 its victim, and it speedily killed and ate it. The 

 movements of the Shrew are exceedingly rapid and 

 nimble. It whisks along the ground with great 

 speed, takes fairly long leaps, can climb inclined 

 trees, and swims tolerably well when compelled to 

 do so. Its voice consists of a soft chirping or whist- 



MOLE SHSEW. — -One of the most common species of Insect-Eating 

 animals of the United States. Its short tail and its very small ears, hidden 

 in the fur, are characteristic features. {Blarina trevicauda.) 



ling sound of high pitch, similar to that heard from 

 the other members of the family. The most acute 

 of its senses is undoubtedly that of smell. It often 

 happens that Shrews caught alive, when let loose, 

 run back into the trap, for the reason that the odor 

 of the Shrew clings to it. It does not seem as if 

 Shrews were guided by sight. Their hearing must 

 also be rather deficient; but their fine scent fur- 

 nishes almost complete compensation for the defi- 

 ciency of the other two senses. 

 The Character of There are few other animals that are 

 the Common possessed of so unsociable a dispo- 

 Shrew. sition, or act so atrociously toward 

 their own kind, as the Shrews; the Moles alone can 

 be considered as a match for them in iniquity. Not 

 even t|ie opposite sexes of the Shrews can live to- 

 gether in peace, except during the breeding season. 

 One Shrew will devour the other whenever oppor- 

 tunity offers. Frequently these animals become en- 

 gaged in combats so fierce that one can easily capture 

 them. In fighting they interlock in close embrace 

 and roll over the ground, their teeth fastened into 

 each other with a fury worthy of the most ferocious 

 Bulldog. It is fortunate that the Shrews are not so 

 large as Lions: they would depopulate the earth and 

 ultimately be reduced to starvation. Very rarely do 

 Shrews live together in real peace. Cartrey once 

 heard a continuous rustle and noise in some dry 

 leaves, and discovered a multitude of these little 

 creatures, which he estimated to number about one 

 hundred; they seemed to play among themselves, 

 running back and forth keeping up a constant chirp- 

 ing and squeaking, without any apparent reason: 

 perhaps it was nothing but a grand wedding. A 

 female Shrew builds for her little ones a nest of 

 moss, gra!ss, leaves and stems of plants, if possible 

 in a wall or under a hollow tree; she provides the 

 nest with several side entrances, lines it softly, and 

 between May and July from five to ten little Shrews 

 make their appearance, entirely devoid of hair, and 

 with theii eyes and ears closed. At first the mother 

 suckles them with great tenderness, but her solici- 

 tude soon flags, and the young ones set out to pro- 

 vide for themselves. After this, as has already been 

 stated, all fraternal considerations cease; for even 



in youth, every Shrew understands food to mean all 

 flesh it can lay its claws on, even if it be the carcase 

 of its own brother or sister. 



Enemies of the It is surprising that few animals eat 

 Common Shrews. Cats catch them, probably 

 Shrew. because they at first mistake them 

 for common Mice, but only kill them without eating 

 them. The Weasels also seem to disdain them; but 

 the Adder and several birds of prey, like the Stork, 

 devour them unceremoniously and with great gusto,. 

 Undoubtedly the aversion to these animals shown 

 by such mammals as are endowed with fine powers 

 of scent, is to be explained by the great disgust 

 which the odor given forth by the Shrews excites 

 in them. This powerful musk-like odor is produced 

 by two secretory glands, found on the sides of the 

 body, nearer to the fore legs than to the hind ones, 

 and it is imparted to all objects with which a Shrew 

 comes in contact. 



It is possible that the superstitious abhorrence with 

 which Shrews are regarded in many parts of Europe 

 derives its origin in part from this odor. In some 

 cpuntries, as for instance England, the inoffensive 

 creature is held by many people in nearly as great 

 dread as a venomous Snake. Everybody is aware of 

 the fact that a Shrew with its fine, thin teeth cannot 

 do the slightest harm to a human being, but still the 

 direst consequences are ascribed to its bite. The 

 mere touch of a Shrew is considered as a certain 

 herald of evil, and animals and Men, who have been 



DOMESTIC SHREW. The small animal known as the Do- 

 mestic or House Shrew derives its name from the fact that it is 

 fond of entering buildings in order to procure food, besides foraging 

 in fields and gardens. It has a wide range through Europe and Asia. 

 {Crocidura aranea.) 



"Shrew-struck, 

 future, unless 

 remedy. 



American Rela- 

 tives of the Com- 

 mon Shrew, 



eastern portion of 



" are expected to fall ill in the near 

 they have recourse to a particular 



The Common Shrew has several American 

 relatives, the species which resembles it 

 most being the Broad-Nosed Shrew {SoreX 

 platyrhinus) which is found all over the 

 the United States. It has conspicuous ears- 



