326 
33. WaTER. 
Fa 
~ 
WATER SHREW. CrassI, | 
of the body, is of a brownifh dufky red: the belly 
of a dirty white: the tail is covered with fhort 
dufky hairs: the legs are very fhort: the hind legs — 
placed very far back: the feet are divided into five — 
toes. | | 
Above and below are two flender cutting teeth 
pointing forward, and on each a minute proces: 
the reft of the teeth are fo clofely united, as to 
appear a continued ferrated bone in every jaw; 
_ the whole number is twenty eight. 
The fhrew inhabits old walls, heaps of ftones, 
and holes in the earth: is frequently found near 
hayricks, dunghills, and neceflary houfes: is often 
obferved rooting like a fwine in ordure: it lives on 
corn, infects, and any filth: from its food or the 
places it frequents, has a difagreeable {mell: cats 
will kill but not eat it: brings four or five young 
at atime. In Avguft is an annual mortality of 
them, numbers being in that feafon found dead- 
in the paths. The antients believed them to be 
injurious to cattle, an error now detected. 
Musaraneus dorfonigroven- La Mufaraigned’Eau, dBufon. 
trequealbo. Merret Pinax. Vili. 64. 
167. Water Shrew, Syn. quad. No. 
Sorex fodiens, Pallas ined. 256. OF 
| ‘HIS fpecies inhabits the banks of ditches, 
and other wet fituations, and is in fome 
places 

