144 SORICIDiE— NEOMYS 



disturbing to them than any atmospheric changes such as frost 

 or drought. 



Although there is as yet no evidence that, as suggested by Mr 

 Adams's observations on the Common and Pygmy Shrews, this 

 species is also an " annual," it is subject to the usual mortality 

 of its family, as noticed by Knapp,^ by Couch,^ and, over one 

 hundred years ago, by Shaw. But the number of deaths seems 

 to be much less than in the two other species ; and Mr Drane' 

 remarks that in Norfolk he daily found dead ones on roads and 

 paths in winter, but only in that season. It is so irascible 

 and pugnacious that it sometimes falls a victim to its love of 

 fighting. In Scotland one of Buckley's * correspondents found 

 two in a new cistern, from which they were unable to escape ; 

 one was sitting upon a stone busily engaged in devouring 

 the remains of its companion in misfortune. Mr Harvie- 

 Brown sends me a somewhat similar tale of cannibalism, and 

 Cordeaux ^ once found a pair of fully grown males in June 

 sitting face to face, dead, but posed in a life-like attitude. 

 Both were in good condition and exhibited no trace whatever 

 of ill-usage, except slight stains of blood on their chests. In 

 the island of Kerrera, William Borrer^ also met with the 

 bodies of two males in equally good condition. They too had 

 probably fallen in mortal combat, although they were separated 

 by a distance of a few yards. 



When intent upon its food,'' or perhaps, only if unwell, this 

 shrew may sometimes be approached and taken alive, as 

 already described above, in the case of one found grubbing 

 amongst dung upon a road by Sir O. Mosley.^ It is not, 

 however, at all tractable, and, when seized, bites savagely, its 

 sharp teeth being powerful enough to pierce a thick glove." 

 Mr Rope has noticed ^° one of its most astonishing accomplish- 

 ments, namely, its skill in climbing ; one which he kept in a 

 cage for a few hours not only ascended easily the upright wires 

 of its prison, but even made its way along the top, clinging 



' op. cit. supra. 2 Zoologist, 1855, 4702. 



3 Per T. W. Proger, MS. * Ann. Scott. Nat. Hist, 1892, 157. 



"> Zoologist, 1866, 327 ; see also Grabhaxa, /ourn. cit., 1900, 186. 



° Ann. Scott Nat Hist, 1893, 111-112. 



' According to CoUett it sees well at a distance. * Zoologist, 1850, 2697. 



" J. J. Briggs, Zoologist, 1848, 2280-2281. 1° Journ. cit, 1900, 477. 



