Fes., 1912. Mammats oF ILLInois AND WISCONSIN — Cory. 407 
ravening beast feygning it selfe to be gentle and tame, but being touched 
it biteth deepe, and poisoneth deadly. It beareth a cruell minde, de- 
siring to hurt anything neither is there any creature that it loveth, or 
it loveth him, because it is feared of all. The Cats as we have said 
do hunt it, and kill it, but they eat not them.” 
Shrews were held sacred in Egypt from their supposed blindness, 
being regarded as an emblem of primal night and darkness. Herodotus 
states that the City of Buto was a place of sacred sepulture for these 
animals and according to Pettigrew specimens of mummied Shrews 
(Sorex) have been found at Thebes. * 
Three genera and some 75 or more species and subspecies are found 
in North America: 
KEY TO OUR GENERA. 
GROUP 1. Tail decidedly more than 14 total length; ears visible. 
SECTION 1. More than 3 unicuspid teeth, large enough to be readily seen on 
each side of upper jaw. 
Hind foot not fringed. Genus SOREX, p. 410. 
Hind foot fringed. Genus NEOSOREX, p. 420. 
SECTION 2. Only 3 unicuspid teeth, large enough to be readily seen on each 
side of upper jaw; size small. Genus MICROSOREX, p. 418. 
GROUP 2. Tail less than 14 total length; ears hidden by fur. 
Genus BLARINA, p. 422. 
English naturalists tell us that these little animals have always 
been the subject of many foolish superstitions in Europe, one of the 
most popular being the belief that, if a Shrew ran over the foot of a 
beast or a man (in the case of the latter shoe leather seems to have been 
no protection), it would cause serious lameness and often much suffer- 
ing. Luckily immediate relief could always be obtained by touching 
the unfortunate victim with the twig ‘‘Shrew-ash.” To prepare this 
wonderful remedy a hole was bored in a tree and in it was placed the 
twig of an ash tree and a live Shrew, the opening being then sealed up. 
When the twig was thoroughly medicated it was removed, and was 
supposed to retain its curative power for an indefinite period. 
* Hist. Egyptian Mummies, 1834, p. 195. 
