THE WATER SHREW 



As its name implies, the Water Shrew favours the neighbourhood of 

 streams, where it is usually found about the margins of the quieter and 

 more sluggish waters, or seen swimming in their clear pools. It is not 

 however afraid of rapid waters, for I have seen it in quite a swift run- 

 ning stream in Norway, as it swam with its body silvered with air bubbles 

 just under the surface. 



The following account of its habits has been given by J. F. M. 

 Dovaston in Loudon's Mag., Nat. Hist. ii. 219: "It dived and swam 

 with great agility and freedom, repeatedly gliding from the bank under 

 water, and disappearing under the mass of leaves at the bottom, doubt- 

 less in search of its insect food. It very shortly returned and entered 

 the bank, occasionally putting its long sharp nose out of the water, and 

 paddling close to the edge. This it repeated at frequent intervals from 

 ■ place to place, seldom going more than two yards from the side, and 

 always returning in about half a minute. Sometimes it would run a little 

 on the surface, and sometimes timidly and hastily come ashore, but with 

 the greatest caution, and instantly plunge in again." 



The prey of the Water Shrew is very various, consisting of aquatic 

 insects and their larvae, worms, molluscs, frogs and small jfishes, while 

 sometimes the flesh of dead mammals is eaten. 



The young, which are said to vary in number from five to eight, are 

 provided with a nest of moss and herbage, placed under the surface of 

 the ground. 



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