The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-07-27
The Little Folks Column.
The Garden Snail.

Inoro Is 1Ltle creature tQab Is
seldom spoken of, but one of the
most singular constructed among
the creations of God. You have
often seen it as sit moves its slow
pace along" over the ground, but
I question very much if many
young persons ever thought to ex-
anime or inquire into its peculiar
structure. You need not to be
told it is a very ugly looking ami
NAL. But this insignificant snail,
that is no unprepossessing, with
his two horns in front. dragging his
house after him as he travels slow
ly from place to place, is worthy
of investigation. Gould you i'm
agine for moment that this odd
looking animal is furnished with
nearly all the organs given to us
nerves, heart, tongue, teeth, liver,
blood-vessels, and even brain
But it is so furnished; and this is
pot the most singular fact. Let
We tell you something about it.
There are different kinds of snails.
| am telling you now of one. If
you look ON the ends of the horns
of which have spoken, you will
see one little round appendage on
each. These are the eyes of the
animal, and if you put them under
a powerful microscope they look
very much like the eyes of other
animals. Directly under these
horns are the mouth. You would
never dream that so soft SUBJ
stance could be furnished with
teeth, yet it has eight, with which
it eats leaves, and often substances
which seems as hard as the teeth
themselves. 1t does more than
this: it is able to bite pieces out of
its shell with them.
j suppose you know that God
has given the snail house, which
is fitted up for its daily use. The
creature can never escape from it,
because it is joined to it, but it
can crawl out of it and 60 back
again at pleasure. 1t is wonder
full provision. This shell is, of
course, to protect the animal from
the injuries to which it would be
exposed on account of the softness
of its body, if it had no such cover
ering. Whenever it is in danger
it can Immediately retire into its
house, and there it is safe.
The most curious thing of all is
that the snail can mend this house.
as a man may repair bis own house.
If any piece should suddenly get
broken of, these animals set at
once to work, and in a few days it
is as good as ever. Concealed in
their bodies is something which is
like the very substance of which
the she'll is made. and after a while
it hardens and becomes like any.
other part of the shell. If the old
ono should be entirely destroyed,
1T could not make a new one. Al
naturalist once tried the expert
ment, but he found, though the
animal tried hard and did make
quite beginning, it was obliged
to give up the undertaking, and
died in few days.
Many of the young readers of
the Observer, while in the country,
will notice particular the manner
IN which the snail moves from
place to place. It is well worth
your notice. Just see how it walks
and how it does. 1t sends out in
advance. from the front of its body
a Shiny substance, so that the very /
tender part of the body shall not
be at all injured by the stones and
roughness of the ground over
which it passes. 1t seems to fur
nish for itself kind of carpet to
walk upon, us you may see.
Snails are remarkable as eaters, !
and often make such ravages upon
the leaves of vegetable as to be a !
positive annoyance.
When the cold weather comes
On, the snail buries itself in the
earth and retires into its snug lit
lie house. Then it makes q sort
Of door over the mouth of the
shell, so that it keeps comfortable
all winter. The material of which
he door is made is white and
bard when it dries, and looks very
much like plaster. So you see the
snail is mason as we'll as a car
Denteri In this moda IF I;fa a