SPECIFICATION OF BEHAVIOR TRAITS AND FORMULATION OF ANIMAL KEEPING SYSTEM OF THE HOUSE MUSK SHREW

家麝鼩（Suncus murinus）是食虫动物中唯一被成功驯化的实验动物。本研究探讨其行为特性，并建立其饲养系统，以供行为学研究之用。获得了以下结果。(1)每日活动节律：获得体温和自发活动的节律。观察到体温的独特下降，其与运动的消失同步。连续几天每天都发生一次。这一发现使我们讨论它与“每日torper”现象的关系。(2)驱动力：驱动力作为缺水小时数的函数进行测量。与大鼠和小鼠不同，鼩表现出一种特殊的驱力变化模式。应进一步研究其与基础代谢水平和脑功能抑制系统的关系。(3)驯化的行为效应：从1993年开始驯化近40种野生动物，迄今已在本实验室成功进行。但驯化对前15代的早期行为和交配行为没有显著影响。(4)人工环境下的饲养和繁殖：尽管窝仔数小，杀虫剂频繁发生，但对驯养和野生的鼩 鼱都制定了标准的饲养和繁殖程序和环境。(5)野生种群的生态信息：收集了冲绳地区三个岛屿的生态状况和行为信息。在人口减少的同时，信息量也减少了。编辑了一份报告，其中包括目前和以前发表的结果。

The house musk shrew, Suncus murinus, is the only laboratory animal that has been successfully domesticated among species of Insectivores. The present study examined its behavior traits and formulated its keeping system for use in behavioral studies. The following results were obtained.(1) Daily activity rhythm : The rhythms were obtained for body temperature and locomotor activity. There were observed a unique drop in body temperature which was synchronized with disappearance of locomotion. It occurred once a day in several successive days. This finding leads us to discuss its relation with the phenomenon of "daily torper".(2) Drive : Drive force was measured as a function of hours of water deprivation. Shrews showed a specific mode of drive change which was different from rats and mice. It should be further examined in relation to basal level of metabolism and inhibitive system of brain function.(3) Behavioral effect of domestication : Domestication which was started in 1993 with nearly 40 wild animals has so far been successfully proceeded in our laboratory. However, no significant effect of domestication was found with early and mating behaviors for the first 15 generations.(4) Keeping and breeding in artificial environment : Standard procedure and environment for keeping and breeding were formulated for both domesticated and wild shrews, in spite of small litter size and frequent occurrence of infanticide.(5) Ecological information on wild populations : Ecological condition and behavioral information were collected from informants in three islands of Okinawa district. In parallel to the reduction in size of population, amount of information has been decreased.A report including both of the present and previously published results was edited.