THE WATER SHREW. 
379 
is probably to the latter that Mi*. Swinhoe refers in his notes on Chinese Mammals under the name of 
the “ Musk Rat.” He says that it is found throughout China, Formosa, and Hainan, in houses in 
large towns, being carried about in junks with the cargo. It has an unpleasant musky odour, and 
makes a peculiar chattering noise, which sounds like the chinking of money, and, he adds, often dis- 
turbed him in his room at night. Such a sound heard in the dark in a strange place would certainly 
be rather alarming to any one who had money to lose. 
The “ Musk Rat ” of Ceylon is a reddish species, described by Kelaart as Sorex kandianus, and 
by Mr. Jerdon as S. serpentarius . It is rather smaller than the preceding, but takes its place in the 
houses of Ceylon and Southern India, and renders itself ecpially offensive by its strong musky odour. 
Several other Indian species are referred to Crocidum, one of which, C. Perroteti , is said to be 
even smaller than the Tuscan Shrew. Others occur in Africa, in Egypt, Mozambique, and Madagascar, 
and in the neighbourhood of the Cape. 
THE WATER SHREW * 
Our British Water Shrew is the type of a distinct genus, all the species of which appear to haunt 
the margins of water. They have thirty teeth, all of which are tipped with brown or red. The upper 
front teeth are large and curved, and have a basal cusp behind ; the lower ones are nearly horizontal, 
and have a single tubercle and no notch at the tip. Behind these teeth there are on each side in 
the upper jaw four small teeth, the last of which is very minute ; and in the lower jaw two small 
teeth. The molars are four on each side in the upper, and three in the lower jaw. The snout is 
pointed, and furnished with very long whiskers ; the eyes small ; the ears of moderate size, and 
valvular ; and the feet and lower surface of the tail fringed with stiff bail's . 
Our Water Shrew (see figure in the full-page illustration), which measures about three inches and 
one-third in length, and has a tail rather more than two inches long, is generally nearly black on the 
upper surface and white beneath, the colours being usually separated by a distinct line of demarcation. 
The hairs fringing the feet and the lower surface of the tail are white. There is, however, consider- 
able variation in the colour of different specimens, some of which have been described as distinct species. 
One especially, in which the whole of the fur is of a black colour, has been called the Oared Shrew 
(Sorex ciliatus or remifer ), but the existence of intermediate steps has led to the recognition of the 
identity of even this with the Common Water Shrew. Mr. Bell is of opinion that the differences ot 
# Crossopus fodiens. 
RAT-YAItEJJ .SHREW. (Half Natural Size.) 
