Dear Shrew Colleagues and Friends:

A number of you have expressed interest in a shrew e-mail list to deal with research problems, announcements, and generally to facilitate contact among people working in some way with shrews or small mammal ecology; Such a list has also been encouraged by many non-scientists that I call 'shrew-mateurs' and that have shown to have a variety of questions and observations that could be relevant to the scientific discussion.

I will be starting such a list...

The SHREW TALK E-mail list . . .

- Will replace the 'Shrew Inquiry' bulletin board on my web-site. It should be easier.

- The list will appear in digest form, i.e., all mail addressed to the list will be sent out to the group. It will temporarily be posted irregularly, depending on the "input" and appreciation.

- It will be open to professionals and "the seriously interested."

- The discussion will include topics ranging from shrew ecology, behaviour, physiology, anatomy, taxonomy, parasites, predators, genetics and palaeontolgy to frequently asked "non-scientific" questions and general problems of small mammal ecology, e.g. trapping and marking methods.

- The digest will be sent to all "Shrewists on E-mail" and anybody who is interested. Please note that the list "Shrewists on E-Mail" is independent of the list of recipients of "SHREW TALK". Please send a seperate e-mail to be added to the list "Shrewists on E-mail", stating your full name and address as well as a short description of your special field of interest.

- The message header will read something like: Subject: Shrew Talk: Vol. 1, No. 25 - 20 July 1997

- It will not be moderated unless there is an extreme situation that warrants it, such as an inappropriate person getting onto the list. If this happens, the person will be warned, and if problems persist, will be removed from the list. (So far, I have found those interested in shrews to be wonderful, honest, and thoughtful people, and expect the caliber of list members will reflect that.)

- Introductions, information and questions are all encouraged.

- The newsletter will be archived on the web: http://members.vienna.at/shrew/shrewtalk.html

- TO JOIN THE LIST write by return e-mail and say you want to join.

- TO *NOT* JOIN THE LIST do nothing.

- TO BE REMOVED FROM THE LIST after joining, write and ask to be removed. This will not affect your entry on the list "Shrewists on E-mail".

- TO POST TO THE LIST, write to <shrewbib@sorex.vienna.at> using the words "Shrew Talk" in the subject line. For instance, Subject: Shrew Talk: Introduction

Your whole message, including header and signature, will be added to the digest.

__________________________________________________________________

Please spread the word to any colleagues you think would be interested in this subject and format. Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,

Werner Haberl

==================================================================

P.S.: Special thanks to Sheryl Todd from Tapir Talk and The Tapir Preservation Fund for her encouragement and help. Anybody interested in Tapirs should check out The Tapir Gallery (http://www.tapirback.com/tapirgal/) or write to tapir@tapirback.com

---

Dr. Werner Haberl. Address: Hamburgerstrasse 11, A-1050 Vienna, Austria.

E-mail: shrewbib@sorex.vienna.at

URL: http://members.vienna.at/shrew