^MREW TRIBE. 
480 
.us whether it inhabits North or South America, 
He says it has three toes on the fore feet, and four 
on the hind ; and that the form of its body and 
tail is like the European kind. 
SHREW TRIBE. 
Of this genus there are sixteen species. Their 
generic characters are,, two cutting teeth in each 
jaw, pointing forward ; a long slender nose ; small 
ears ; and five toes on each foot. 
■ x- i J } * c 
Musky shrew. 
+ 
T his species is seven inches long, and of a dusky 
colour, has no external ears, very small eyes, and 
a tail of eight inches, compressed sideways; its 
belly is of a whitish ash colour ; it inhabits the 
river Wolga, and the lakes adjacent ; it is very 
slow, and never wanders far froth lakes and rivers. 
It makes its hole in the banks, far below the lowest 
fall of the water, and works upwards, not so high 
as to reach the surface, but only to be out of the 
reach of the highest rise of the water ; it feeds on 
leeches, water insects., &c. ; but is itself devoured 
in its turn by the pikes and siluri ; and gives those 
fish so strong a flavour of musk, as to render theiri 
not eatable. Out of its tail is expressed a sort of 
musk, very much resembling the genuine kind. 
Their skins arc put into chests among clothes to 
drive away moths, and to preserve the wearers from 
pestilence and fevers. They are so common near 
