islands off the west coast of Scotland. It has, however, as I have already
mentioned, been taken on Kerrera, and Alston states that it is not rare in Arran,1
Baikie and Heddle2 mention one which was killed in Waas, Orkney, but the
existence of the Water Shrew in a wild state in either the Orkneys or Shetlands
has not yet been proved.
Habits. Most of iis who live in the country and love to observe nature have
at one time or another watched this beautiful little creature sporting1 in some
‘ hidden stream.’ Water Shrews like to frequent the banks of backwaters, slow-
moving brooks or fen ditches, and play and hunt in their clear depths. Muddy
and swift-flowing rivers and streamlets are not much to their liking, probably
owing to the fact that small fish and water insects do not exist there in quantity,
but I have both seen the animals and observed their workings in still pools in
a rushing river. Unlike the lithe movement of the otter as it enters the water,
the little Water Shrew sometimes ‘ plops’ into the pools with a certain amount
of noise, careless of the consequences. Its movements, like those of all the Shrews,
are typical of its gay and energetic disposition. Paddling swiftly along the surface,
with nose well raised, its front paws seldom used except for turning movements,
and with hind-legs working with surprising energy, it darts across the brook,
anon leaping out of the water in sportive glee, now chasing a companion or
skipping along the surface in exuberance of spirits. The use of the hind-legs
only for the purpose of natation imparts to the body a curious swaying motion,
and why the Water Shrew does not use his fore-feet more I cannot understand.
It swims very high out of the water. I remember once watching three full-
grown Water Shrews engaged in a game of romps one spring day in a small
backwater of the Kennet at Marlborough. They swam round and round in
circles, and, after diving alternately, they came to the surface and leaped into the
air in a most surprising manner. Comparatively speaking, I think that a Water
Shrew can leap further out of the water than any mammal except a cat. This
habit of making big bounds is so characteristic of the Water Shrew that if you
surprise one on land at some distance from the water, it does not, as a rule, hide
in the herbage, but sets off towards the river or pond with immense leaps through
the grass, which if the animal were of the size of the spring-buck would be
among the marvels of animal progression. I have more than once come upon
Water Shrews several yards away from the water, and have invariably seen them
act in this manner. When swimming under water the animal has a curious silvery
1 Faun- S '0*- P- I0- * H ist. Nat. Ore. p. 14.