Brigitte Vadorin, age 7, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, for her question:

Which is the smallest mammal?

The tiniest mammal is the pygmy shrew. When fully grown, he is three and a half inches long and weighs about two grams. On a pair of measuring scales, he equals the weight of one penny or two aspirins. You might mistake the furry little fellow for a mouse, but mice and shrews are not related.

Many other shrews scuttle around our woods and gardens. The biggest one has a long sharp nose and a long skinny tail and measures six inches. Like all his cousins, he is always famished. He spends the whole night hunting for worms, insects and other things to eat. A shrew may look like a timid little mouse, but looks can fool you. He happens to be a fierce character, always ready to pick a fight. And a shrew has very nasty teeth. When he bites, he poisons the wound.