BRITISH MAMMALS 



for the figure in the plate, the soft velvety fur of the body had a 

 beautiful silvery gloss. The underparts are dull white. 



The Lesser Shrew ranges from the British Islands through the greater 

 part of Europe and over northern Asia, where it has been found within 

 the Arctic circle (Dobson). Eastwards it reaches the Pacific, while 

 closely allied forms represent it in America. 



In the British Islands it is probably much more plentiful than would 

 appear from the casual notices of its appearance, as its presence in any 

 locality may easily pass unnoticed. 



In the neighbourhood of Hascombe, Surrey, I have come across it as 

 often, perhaps more often, than the Common Shrew, but in general it 

 seems to be more sparsely distributed in England than the other. 



The Lesser Shrew is common in many parts of Scotland and has even 

 been recorded from the top of Ben Nevis, where a cat at the obser- 

 vatory brought home a specimen. 



It is known on many of the Western Islands, being plentiful in the 

 Outer Hebrides and has been recorded in the Orkneys, but not in the 

 Shetlands. This shrew is abundant in Ireland where it is the only 

 species. 



In habits it resembles the Common Shrew, inhabiting hedgerow banks 

 and meadows. It is apparently active in the winter, as I have more 

 than once caught it in traps set to catch mice in an apple loft under 

 the roof of my house. 



Though hardy as regards severe cold under natural conditions the 

 constitution of this little animal is yet extremely frail and sensitive to 

 any kind of shock or untoward circumstances, even a few minutes 

 detention in a trap being fatal, according to information supplied to 

 Barrett Hamilton by Mr. A. H. Cocks [A History of 'British Mammals, 

 part ix. p. 121.) 



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