39 o HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



difti-brown colour ; the belly white. The two upper 



fore teeth of this animal are Angularly conftructed, and 

 deferve particular notice ; having a fmall barb on each 

 fide, fo fine, as to be fcarcely vifible. 



The Shrew-Moufe frequents old walls and heaps of 

 (tones; feeds on infects, corn, and putrid fubftancesj 

 and is fometimes feen on dunghills, where it roots with 

 its nofe like a Hog. — It has fo ftrong and difagreeable a 

 fmell, that the Cat, after fhe has killed, refufes to eat it. 

 —It forms its neft of dry grafs, mofs, Sec, on the furface 

 of meadows or paftures j and is faid to breed four or five 

 young at a time. 



There feems to be an annual mortality of thefe animals 

 in Auguft ; numbers of them being found dead in the 

 fields, highways, &c. about that time. 



The Water SHREW-MOUSE 



is larger than the laft. The upper part of its body is 

 black ; the throat, bread, and belly, of a light afti-colour. 

 —It is rarely to be feen ; frequents the banks of rivulets 

 and marfhy places, where it burrows. 



It is very numerous in Lincolnlhire, but was never ob- 

 served there till about twenty years ago. — It i s called, in 

 that country, the Blind Moufe, 



