488 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



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LITTLE SKUNK, POLECAT, OR SPILOGALE 



This trail combines the characteristics of the skunk 

 with those of a squirrel. At first it looks like the track 

 of a stubby-toed squirrel, but the five-inch toe on the 

 front foot is plainly seen. The frequent pairing of the 

 fore paws is important. There is no tail mark (see 

 pages 456 and 474). 



America. Of these one of the most numerous 

 and best known is the short-tailed shrew. It 

 is a dark-colored animal much more heavily 

 proportioned, larger, and with a shorter tail 

 than the common shrew. Its fur is so thick 

 and velvety that it is confused by many people 

 with the mole, despite its smaller size. 



The short-tailed shrews, sometimes 

 called mole shrews, of the genus Bla- 

 rina belong to a single species with 

 several geographic races occupying 

 eastern Canada and the United States, 

 from Nova Scotia, southern Quebec, 

 Ontario, Minnesota, and North Da- 

 kota southward to Florida and the 

 Gulf coast as far as eastern Texas. 

 Vertically they range from sea-level 

 up to the tops of the Alleghenies. 

 Another group of American shrews, 

 containing numerous species belong- 

 ing to the genus Cryptotis, occupies 

 the mountains of the Western States, 

 and ranges south to northern South 

 America. In external form it is in- 

 distinguishable from the short-tailed 

 species. 



Probably no mammal is more num- 

 erous in the eastern United States 

 than the short-tailed shrew. It oc- 

 curs everywhere — -in forests, in brushy 

 areas, in old fields, and along grassy 

 banks. Within the city of Washing- 

 ton it is common in Rock Creek Park, 

 where it lives in covered runs which 

 it makes among the grass and fallen 

 leaves. These shrews drink fre- 

 quently, and this may in part account 

 for their abundance near streams or 

 other water, although it may be the 

 desirable moist soil conditions which 

 draw them to such situations. 



The runways of these shrews are 

 scarcely half an inch wide, usually 

 partly sunken in the mold or rotting 

 surface vegetation. These are not 

 made by digging, but by pushing aside 

 the loose mold, and they cross and re- 

 cross in an irregular network. They 

 lead to the entrances to burrows which 

 generally drop nearly straight down. 

 The burrows are sometimes amid the 

 leaves, but usually under the shelter 

 of a root, stump, old log, or other 

 cover. In addition to their own run- 

 ways, the shrews make free use of 

 the runs of meadow mice and even 

 traverse the tunnels of the pine mice 

 and moles in their restless search for 

 prey. 



Small rounded chambers opening 

 off their underground runways are 

 filled with fine grass, pieces of leaves, 

 and other soft matter for a nest. 

 One nest examined was made en- 

 tirely from the hair of meadow mice, 

 probably the spoils of war from the 

 bodies of victims. As a rule, shrews 

 are extremely unsocial, but a pair 

 of this species is sometimes found occupying 

 the same nest, no doubt a temporary arrange- 

 ment. Several litters, containing from four to 

 six each, appear to be born through the sum- 

 mer and fall, usually beginning in June. 



While equally active by day and by night, 

 the eyes of these shrews seem to be of little 



