NOTES AND QUERIES. 187 



then fco be found. On March 25th a Daubenton was the sole occu- 

 pant. — Alfred Heneage Cocks (Poynetts, Skirmett, near Henley-on- 

 Tharnes). 



Pigmy Shrew (Sorex minutus) in Surrey. — On April 29th I trapped 

 a Pigmy Shrew. It was caught in a field, where it had made extensive 

 runs, just outside its burrow. "What struck me at once was the great 

 length and breadth of the snout, which was, comparatively speaking, 

 greater than that of the Common Shrew ; its ears also were more pro- 

 nounced than those of that species. It had a very rank and offensive 

 odour, resembling that of a Stoat. The animal (a male) gave the 

 following measurements in millimetres : Head and body, 55 ; tail, 38 ; 

 hind foot, 10 ; ear, 7. This is the third Pigmy Shrew that has come 

 into my possession from this county during the past four years, and the 

 first I have trapped, the other two being picked up dead. On comparing 

 the Pigmy Shrew with the Common one, besides its much smaller size 

 the differences I have pointed out above are most remarkable, and the 

 two species cannot possibly be confounded with each other. — Gordon 

 Dalgliesh (Brook, Witley, Surrey). 



Stoats in Winter Dress in South-western Hants. — During the past 

 winter, was it observed that the change in colour of this evil-smelling 

 little beast was more frequent than usual ? In this neighbourhood I 

 knew of quite a score being killed — six in one week in early January — 

 and several others seen ; two at least were killed on the railway, and 

 one was found in a brook apparently drowned. The first I saw was in 

 September, and to-day (April 10th) I saw one with much white about 

 it. The permanently black tip to the tail, I need not say, was retained 

 by all, and I saw none that were perfectly white, the dark summer coat 

 being more or less visible along the back, and especially about the 

 crown of the head, as if the white gradually crept up the sides, 

 absorbing the darker colour, lastly reaching the head. One was curiously 

 marked, having a large patch of brown on both hips, and a collar-like 

 mark of the same colour about its neck, whilst the head and face were 

 very dappled, which gave it a peculiar appearance. I may remark that 

 all I saw were of comparatively small size, and, with one exception, 

 females. It seems strange that under (as we suppose) exactly the 

 same conditions some individuals should change colour, whilst the 

 greater proportion do not alter from their summer pelage — and it has 

 been observed many times in these pages — that the lighter ones are 

 more frequently seen in a mild winter than when the weather is severe ; 

 and at the same time it has been pointed out that a protective colour 

 amidst the snow becomes conspicuous when the landscape is snowless, 



