“The shrew which by falling by chance into a cart road or track doth die upon the same, being burned and afterwards beaten or dissolved into dust, and mingled with goose-grease, being rubbed or anointed upon those who are troubled with the swelling coming by the cause of some inflammation, doth bring into them a wonderful and most admirable cure and remedy.” The same author mentions its predacious habits, and states that it is especially fond of the putrid flesh of the raven, the French using it as a bait, and killing numbers of shrews as they are feasting on the dead bird. He is especially careful to mention that the deluded shrews are killed with shovels. The third species of British shrew is the PIGMY-SHREW (_Sorex pygmæus_), which is even smaller than the harvest mouse, and is the smallest of all the British mammals. I have mentioned the three species, because until quite recently much confusion reigned concerning them and their habits, and much difficulty has been found in disentangling them. For example, no distinction had been recognised between the common shrew and the water-shrew, while the pigmy-shrew was thought to be the young of the common or erd-shrew, and an exceptionally large specimen of the water-shrew was supposed to be a separate species, and distinguished by the name of oared-shrew. So, by means of carrying out our study of the water-shrew we have not only found much that is interesting and amusing, but have added something to our knowledge of animal physiology. (_To be continued._) [Illustration: NEST OF THE CAMPAGNOL.] HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF MUSICAL FORMS. SKETCH IV.—MADRIGALS AND SECULAR PART MUSIC. BY MYLES B. FOSTER, Organist of the Foundling Hospital. In my last sketch I endeavoured to show you, as briefly as I could, the historical aspect of sacred concerted music in some of its vocal forms, with and without instrumental accompaniment. We will now, for a short space, consider vocal concerted music as adapted to secular uses. Prominent here above its fellows stands the Madrigal, claiming precedence not only for its antiquity, but also for its lofty style, and, in most cases, learned and elaborate development. Once again the name for our subject is veiled in a certain amount of doubt and speculation. There are at least five different theories in reference to the derivation of “Madrigal,” not one of which seems altogether suitable. All disputants agree on one point, at any rate, that “Madrigal” was originally the term given to poems founded upon a motto or theme, and was afterwards transferred to the music to which such poems were wedded.