Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-04-23
COMMON BUT SELDOM SEEN.

/ Found In the Daytime In "aHh-
inRton.
Most people are familiar with Shake
speare's Tanning Of the Shrew," and
few there are who are not aware that
the shrew Is a little animal not much
larger than a mouse with habits simi-
liar to those of a ground squirrel and
a temper like that Of red-haired
woman; but how many ever saw one
of those ANIMALS? The shrew Is indig-
enous to the United States from Maine
to Florida, and from the Atlantic
ocean to Omaha; but owing to the fact
that it is a night prowler, remaining
in its underground habitation during
the day. 1t is seldom seen. Cats and
dogs will not prey upon these curious
little animals, owing to their peculiarly
strong and offensive odor, and for
that reason they seldom or never form
part of the spoil Of the farmhouse cat
after a nights hunt.
Bearing the foregoing facts In mind,
the reader will be the more surprised
to learn of a very curious thing that
occurred on Saturday, March %, In
the heart Of Washington, which may
result in the reading Of a scientific
paper on the SUBJECT at some forth
coming meeting Of one of the scientific
societies Of this city.
| On the date mentioned, Jim Perry,
colored bootblack, who has stand on
Tenth street Northwest, only two
blocks distant from Pennsylvania ave-
nue., caught one Of these little animals
running about in the gutter not far
from his stand. He succeeded after
some difficulty, and not until the pug
nacious little animal had bitten him
several times, in placing 1t in a box.
where for several hours it remained
the centre Of attraction for passersby,
who crowded around Jim's stand to
"rubberneck" at the little creature and
ventilate their opinions as to Its name
and nature, until a policeman came
along and made them disprese.
| Jim was uorn and raised in virginia,
where shrews are unusually common,
but this, 1t seems, was the first he had
ever seen. He decided tnat 1t was
new variety Of rat. For two hours az
| ter he caught the shrew fully 20 peo-
pie must have looked 1t over, yet OF
all that number not one had ever seen
shrew or knew the name Of the ami
NAL that Jim had captured. Finally
some one told Jim that he ought to
take the animal, whatever 1t was, up
to Mr.. Schmid's dog, cat and bird
store, on Twelfth street, and that II
any one knew, he would be most apt
to know the name of the little beast.
Jim acted on this advice. and few
| minutes later submitted the shreW
to Mr.. schmid for inspection. After
looking the animal over closely ~Mr'
Schmid confessed that he mad not the
faintest notion of what it could be, but
advised Jim to take it to DIR. Gerritt
Miller, zoologist in the National Muse
um. saying that he alone would know
the name and nature Of Jim's find.
| About 80 minutes later Jim returned
up in DR.. Miller's office, where he had
the satisfaction Of learning the name
of the strange animal. With true
scientific patriotism Jim presented his
shrew to the government, and when
It appears on exhibition (stuffed and
mounted) Jim's name will appear on
the label as the finder. Of this Jim Is
very proud Speaking Of Jim's find
DR.. Miller said:
This is the first instance tnat ever
came under my observation of the
finding of shrew in daytime and In
in the heart of large city. How the
little animal came to be where the COL
ored boy found him is what puzzles
me. I am inclined to think that ne
came in from the country in a load of
hay, wood, vegetables, or, possibly.
sand or soil, for 1 am quite sure tney
have never adapted themselves to city
life. e."-Washington Post.