Xo. 488] 



HABITS OF THE SHREW 



505 



singly. Tlic excrement was m'vmsh l.lack when fresh, sliglitly 

 brownisli when (h'v. It was voided in spindk-shaped portions 

 23 to 30 mm. Ion-, coikMl in xarion. ^^a^ a. in Fi-. 4. Very difi'er- 

 ent is tlie excrement of Microtiis, wliicii is found in black or brown 



^Usually two, tln-ee, or four burrows radiated from the nest. At 



an ordinarv bun-ow with a rubber tube until the burrow seemed 

 to come io a blind end; tlie tube could be pushed no further in 



then excavated. When 1 had ai)proached within about 35 cm. 

 of the place where the Hrsi l.urrow had lu-en abandoned, tlie second 

 burrow also was closed. A third burrow ai>proachiu,(^ the same 

 spot wa. next duo- open, and it likexNi.e ended blin<lly. A spade 

 was set in at the i)oint toward which the three burrou s conxerj^ed, 



bodv of a meadow vole near by sliowed that the nest w as then being 

 used, and was not a relic of'the preceding >ear. Careful search 

 all round the nest failed to rexeal a burrow lea.lin- to it. ^Fhe soft, 

 loose soil was then carefullv dug up to a distance of 40 cm. around 

 the ne.st and 20 cn,. l>elo^^ it at.<l exMmined as it was throNvn out 

 to disccncM- the shicw. None was foun<l, m, the soil was thrown 

 backan.l stamped d.>u n. \t n,> next \isit a l.urn.w opened to the 



where the shrew had escape<l. It had e\ Identlx been present when 

 1 dug up the nest, l)ut had esca[)ed my spade. In this ca.-^e 1 have 

 concluded that the shrew was obliged to force its way through 

 the mass of loose soil for a distance of al)out 40 c-m. every time it 



