WILD CREATURES OF GARDEN AND HEDGEROW 



inches in length. It is usually found near 

 ditches and streams, being fond of water, as 

 it is an expert swimmer and diver. However, 

 it sometimes comes into the garden, especially 

 if there is a damp ditch beside the fence, and I 

 once found a fine one lying dead on a doorstep, 

 which seemed to have died a natural death as 

 there was no sign of having been caught by 

 a cat. Like the other two kinds it dies in 

 numbers in the autumn, and whatever is the 

 cause in their case affects this shrew as well. 

 As a rule it is only by finding these dead ones 

 that you know there are water shrews about, 

 for it is a shy retiring little animal, and there 

 may be a colony close to your door and you 

 will never know of them. Once, when I wanted 

 some water shrews very badly, I hunted all the 

 streams and ditches for a long way round my 

 home, only to find there had been plenty of 

 them quite close at hand of which I knew 

 nothing whatever. When one does catch a 

 glimpse of a water shrew it is a most fascinating 

 little creature. It comes out of its hole and 

 runs to and fro at the margin of the water, 

 picking its way delicately, then pausing to 

 snuff the air — ^the ' newspaper ' of aU animals 

 save man— then it will swim across the stream, 

 86 



