Family III. Soricidæ.
(Shrews.)
The feet of the Shrews are formed for walking, or for swimming, distinguishing this family from the preceding; while their coat of soft fur is destitute of the spines that mark the Hedgehogs. They have, however, on each flank, a band of stiff, close-set bristles, beneath the fur, among which are placed the orifices of some small glands, that exhale a musky odour. In general, they are aquatic, in a greater or less degree.
Genus Sorex. (Linn.)
The animals of this genus are small and mouse-like, covered with a short and very soft fur. Their dentition is thus expressed:—inc. 22; can. 0-00-0; mol.8-85-5=30. The incisors are long; the upper ones are curved and notched at the base; the lower
WATER SHREW.
nearly horizontal. The muzzle is produced into a long slender snout; the ears are short and rounded; the tail moderately long.
The British Islands possess several species of these pretty little creatures, of which we select the Water Shrew (Sorex fodiens, Pall.) for illustration, perhaps the most beautiful of: the genus. The silky coat of this species is on the upper parts nearly black, the under parts being pure white, and the contrast of the colours is heightened by their being well-defined at their separation. The tail and feet are fringed with stiff white bristles, which give an oar-like character to these organs, and indicate aquatic habits.
Mr. Dovaston has described, in a very agreeable manner, some particulars of the economy of this pretty little creature. "On a delicious evening, far in April 1825, a little before sunset, strolling in my orchard, beside a pool, and looking into the clear water for insects I expected about that time to come out, I was surprised by seeing what I momentarily imagined to be some very large beetle, dart with rapid motion, and suddenly disappear. Laying myself down cautiously and motionless on the grass, I soon, to my delight and wonder, observed it was a mouse. I repeatedly marked it glide from the bank under water, and bury itself in the mass of leaves at the bottom: I mean the leaves that had fallen off the trees in autumn, and which lay very thick over the mud. It very shortly returned and entered the bank, occasionally putting its long sharp nose out of the water, and paddling close to the edge. This it repeated at very frequent intervals, from place to place, seldom going more than two yards from the side, and always returning in about half a minute. I presume it sought and obtained some insect or food among the rubbish and leaves, and retired to consume it. Sometimes it would run a little on the surface, and sometimes timidly and hastily come ashore, but with the greatest caution, and instantly plunge in again. During the whole sweet spring of that fine year, I constantly visited my new acquaintance. When under water he looks grey, on account of the pearly cluster of minute air-bubbles that adhere to his fur, and bespangle him all over. His colour, however, is very dark brown." . . . After entering into some descriptive details of the specimen, Mr. Dovaston proceeds: "This minute description I am enabled to give, having caught it in an angler’s landing net, and carefully inspected it in a white basin of water. ‘The poor creature was extremely uneasy under inspection, and we soon, with great plea- sure, restored it to liberty and love, for he had a companion, which from her paler colour and more slender form, we doubted not was his mate, and were fearful, by our intrusion, of giving offence to either.
"He swims very rapidly; and though he appears to dart, his very nimble wriggle is clearly discernible. He is never seen till near sunset, but I saw him every evening I watched, with the most perfect facility. They are easily discovered about the going down of the sun, on still evenings, by the undulating semicircles quickly receding from the bank of the pool, when they are dabbling at the side. I believe this to be the animal said to be so long lost in England, the Water Shrew (Sorex fodiens of Pennant). . . . . I have said he only appears at evening, and such are his general habits. Once, however, at broad and bright noon, while leaning on a tree, gazing on the sun-sparkles passing (like fairy lights) in numberless and con- tinual succession under the gentlest breath of air, I was aware of my little friend running nimbly on the surface among them. My rapture caused me to start with delight, on which he vanished to se- curity within his rush-fringed bank. . . . I should have mentioned that, on very still evenings, when my ear was close to the ground, I fancied I heard him utter a very short, shrill, feeble sibilation, not unlike that of the grasshopper lark, in mild, light summer nights, but nothing near so loud, or long continued. Though I have watched for him warily in that and other places, after having, to the end of May, contributed to the myriads of my amusements, I never saw him more.” [1]
It may be interesting to our country readers to be informed, that this pretty animal, one of the smallest and most beautiful of British quadrupeds, is widely diffused, and by no means so rare as to preclude the probability of its pleasing manners coming under the notice of our young field- naturalists. It has been ascertained, since its re-discovery by Mr. Dovaston, to be a native of several of the southern, midland, and northern counties of England, and even of Scotland. Mr. Bell has received it from Hertfordshire, from Devonshire, and from the river Lea, in Essex.
The zoologist just named informs us that the Water Shrew is attacked by the Weasel, which even follows it into the water, where, however, it readily saves itself by diving.
- ↑ Mag. Nat. Hist. ii. 219.