History of British animals - University of Guam Marine Laboratory

8 MAMMALIA. FERA. Sorex.duced, and truncated, and the nostrils are narrow. The body is coveredabove with stiff bristles mixed with hair, and below with hair and no bristles.The length is about 10 inches, the tail 1 inch. It is found chiefly near hedgesand thickets of furze, and feeds on snails, slugs, worms, and beetles. It ispeculiarly serviceable in gardens, which it will speedily clear of such vermin.It is fond of the roots of the plantain. It soon becomes tame, and will readilydevour bread soaked with milk, or pieces of flesh. It seldom breeds in confinement.Its young at birth are blind and naked, concealed in a nest ofgrass, leaves, and moss, and are from four to five in number. The younoareincapable of rolling themselves up, which in maturity they can do withease when terrified, and then present to a dog or other foe a pricklybecomes ball. Ittorpid during the winter, lodging in a dry nest of leaves. It is sometimespersecuted, faom the foolish belief that it climbs up trees and robs themof their fruit, or sucks cows and hurts their udders. The skin is sometimesfixed on the noses of calves or foals at weaning-tiine, to prevent them sucking,and to irritate the mother. It has likewise been employed to hackle hemp.In Scotland, the northern limits of its geographical distribution probably donot exceed the Murray Frith.Shrew.— Two middle incisors above, bentand notched at the base. The claws of the British speciesGen. V. SOREX.are white.9- S. (tremens. Common Shrew.— Colour blackish-brown.Mus aran. Ray, Syn. Quad. 239— E, Erd Mouse, Hardy Shrew ; S, ErdShrew ; W, Llygoden-goch, Chwistlen, Llyg; G, Daullag— Frequentin old walls and grassy banks. Extends to Orkney.The length is about 2| inches; of the tail l£ inches. The toes are plainon the edges. The tail is cylindrical, dark above, light-coloured beneath, anddark at the tip. They have five young. Formerly, supposed to be injuriousto cattle. Numbers of them seem to die by disease in August.10. S.Jbdiens. Water Shrew.— Colour raven-black, with asmall white spot above each eye.Mus araneus, dorso nigro ventroque albo, Men: Pin. 167 Water Sh.Penn. Brit. Zool. i. 12G. tab. xi. No. 33— S. ciliatus, Sowerby, Brit.Misc. tab. xlix—Water Sh. Mont. Linn. Trans, vii. 276 Flem. Wern.Mem. ii. 238—Burrows in banks near water, and is not uncommon.This species exceeds the former in size.Length of the body 3 inches ; ofthe tail 2 inches. Weight 3 drachms. The colour on the under side inclinesto white. Snout long, and a little depressed. Whiskers long. Eyes small,and concealed by the fur. Ears wide, with a pale tuft on the inside. In themiddle of the throat and ventral base of the tail a black spot, with a line of thesame colour along the middle of the belly. Tail tapering, covered with veryshort hair, and nearly white at the tip. Margin of the toes on each side ciliatedwith white hairs. This species swims and dives with considerable facility.We have seen it actively employed on the surface of the water, catching theHydrometradre. Said to bring forth nine young.B. Incisors nearly equal. Tuslcs large.Gen. TALPA. Mole. Back covered with hair.— Furnishedwith a tail. Incisors in the upper jaw six,in the lowereight. No external ears. The sternum is furnished witha mesial crest. Forefeet broad, and formed for digging.