NORTH AMERICAN. FAUNA 66 



vegetable fibers. In general, these nests are not as finely made as most 

 mouse nests. 



The breeding season for this species extends from March to Sep- 

 tember, and usually two or three broods of young are reared each 

 season. The gestation period is from 21 to 22 days, and between 3 and 

 10 young may be produced, although the average number is slightly 

 below 7. These young leave the nest in 18 to 20 days, and by the time 

 they are 3 months of age they are essentially mature animals. This 

 shrew may live up to 3 years, but the life span is usually less than this, 

 probably not more than 18 or 20 months. 



This species has a voracious appetite. Hamilton (1930, p. 30) found 

 that an examination of 244 intestinal tracts from New York State 

 Blarina yielded the following food percentages : Insects 47.8, arachnids 

 2, millipedes 1.7, vertebrates 4.1, crustaceans 6.7, mollusks 5.4, annelids 

 7.2, centipedes 3.8, plant matter 11.4, inorganic matter 2.3, and un- 

 determinable material 5.2. Only 1.7 percent of the stomachs examined 

 were empty. 



The bite of this shrew is poisonous. Pearson (1942) found that a 

 poisonous extract could be prepared from the submaxillary salivary 

 glands of this species and that a toxic material is also present in 

 the saliva and may be introduced into wounds made by the teeth, but 

 because of the small size of the animal its bite probably would have 

 little if any effect on man. There have been reports, however, of 

 distress following the bite of a shrew. Maynard (1889) says that 

 when he was bitten by one of them he experienced considerable pain 

 and swelling in the vicinity of the wound which persisted for a week 

 or longer. Others have been bitten repeatedly by shrews of this species 

 and have experienced no after effects whatsoever other than the distress 

 accompanying the actual breaking of the skin by the sharp teeth. 



These shrews appear to be somewhat more gregarious than most other 

 species of shrews. It is not uncommon to capture a specimen each night 

 for 4 or 5 consecutive nights in a trap set in the same place, indicating 

 that the animals are using the same runways if not actually associating 

 with each other. It may be stated, however, that in general this shrew 

 is solitary and pugnacious both to its own kind and to any other 

 creature it may encounter. 



Specimens examined, — Allegany County : Frostburg, 1 (Coll. Frost- 

 burg State College) ; Mount Savage, 42; Oldtown (near), 7. Anne 

 Arvmdel County: Annapolis (near), 40; South Kiver and U.S. Koute 

 50 (junction of), 1. Baltimore City: 1. Baltimore County: Dulaney 

 Valley, 1 ; Loch Raven, 1. Calvert County: Breezy Point, 2 ; Chesapeake 

 Beach, 1 ; Cypress Swamp along Battle Creek, 2 ; Hungerf ord Creek, 

 31/^ miles N of Solomons, 1; Marine Training Base, % mile N of 

 Solomons, 13 ; Plum Point, 1 ; Scientist Cliffs, 2 ; Solomons, 2. Charles 



