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THE A M ERIC AN NA TURA LIST [Vol. XLI 



covered cage in which earth was placed to a depth of about 10 cm. 

 AVlien practicable, live food was furnished. Among the various 

 foods tried were meadow voles and house mice {Mus musculus), 

 Mav beetles (l.achnosterna) and their grubs, moth lar\ae, other 

 insects and pupae, earthworms, snails, sowbugs, carrots, crackers, 

 roots of grasses and other plants. None of the last three articles 

 were ever touched as food. If any article proved especially ac- 

 ceptable to the shrew, that food was I'ui-iiishcd exclusively for 

 several days, and the quantity consuiiicd \vii> noic.l. From these 

 figures the average per day was coinpuicd. 'i'lic result in each 

 of tlie foods thus tested is given in Table HI. 



Other articles of food were furnished at other times, and some 

 proved favorites; but owing to the difficulty in securing the food 

 no quantitative data were secured. Other insects, such as various 

 ground beetles, giant water l)ugs (Benacus), and Hydrophilus 

 friangalari.^, were furnished. All were eaten, but the ground 

 beetles were tlie favorite. Other larvae of insects besides Lach- 

 nosterna were readily taken, even the "woolly bear" of Pyrrharctia 

 isahella. Sowbugs were eagerly devoured. When live food was 

 not to be had, l^eef was furnished, and was eaten readily. I made 



