DeSoto times. (Hernando, Miss.) 1879-1898, 1890-04-10
SNAILS.
hort Study of the Common
Golden Variety.
Are wonderful Little Creatures of
kmarkable Nitality-IIow They
Breathe, Eat, Hibernate and
Lay Their Eggs.

snail is really as interesting an
bal as is to be found in our gardens,
deserves better fate than the pitt
crushing which usually awaits him
e feet Of the gardener whose path
appens to cross. If you wish to ex-
pe snail, procure piece of glass
place him upon it. 1t is useless to
Yet him to seem at ease in your hand,
The snail is a cold-blooded animal,
EOur warm flesh must be nearly as
PmfOrtable to him as the top of the
ben range would be to you. The
heSs of a bit of glass is congenial to
he will adhere firmly to it with his
q sucker-like foot, and will probably
eed to crawl along it, expanding and
racting alternately this foot of his,
h is really the whole under part of
bcdy. Looking at his small rate of
FreSs you will probably be surprised
be rapidity with which the contrac-
sand expansions of his foot follow
another; they cause quite a rippling
] he surface of his body, and seem as
Fgh good deal of exertion were re-
fed to produce even so slow a move
i as his. Most likely your snail
keep on protruding his feelers, or
|rnS'' as they are usually called in
|auVe-klnd of manner as he makes
way towards the edge of the glass.
gu put finger in front of him, he
probably walk straight on until one
leSe teelcrs comes in contact with it.
moment that the obstruction is thus
known to him he will draw in his
S' and, stopping his journey, push
out again in timid and hesitat-
fashion, plainly endeavoring to
Ftaln by the sense of touch whether
still in his way or no. If he
ehS TO be rather a wide-awake spec
OF his race, he will most likely
IN the presence of your finger
the tip of his horn is about the
ueth OF an inch away from it; the
cle Will wave slowly about, rearing
aloft and driving down in evident
'pt TO see whether the obstacle can
SSed' We say to see Intentionally,
e minute black speck at the ex-
ehd OF each of the snail's longer
y are the animals eyes-very i'm
~ ana rudimentary organs of Wis
III still capable of discriminating
en- light and darkness and of some-
discovering the presence of for
nouy, provided that it Is of fair I
l ne lower and shorter tentac1es !
'nout the eyes which grace the
'he longer ones, and seem to be {
uSeu as Jeeters. The way in which
W. wlthdraws his horns is very cur
ihey are not pulled bodily back
'l'"ole receptacles, but are liter !
rhea inside out just like the fin
d glove that is drawn off back 9
IL would naturally be supposed
10 snail would be very susceptible
~ delicate and useful organs. t
'ehsltlVeness shows that this is e
y yet e he is, comparatively speak q
inherent to the loss of them. If t
e 10 sacrifice the feelings of the i
10 the qualification of a
curiosity, you may cut Il
. Ientacles with a pair of v
), Blinded, and at the same time t
u OF his guardian feelers, one t
imagine that he would soon die; t,
ning OF the sort need be appre- c.
AS Is only natural, he will, W
. utmost possible expedition, re- A
70 the depths of his she'll, prob CT
!, remain there for some days. tt
ly however, he will emerge o
md II he is in a proper state of n
ana the operation has been per- le
lalrly early in the season, in b
month new horns will be seen
lg' which will shortly attain to W
OF those destroyed, and, duly N
with eyes, will guide the way fe
bearer as their predecessors did. W
your taste for research remain d;
iea alter this rather cruel exper- p;
'ou may, without fear of doing tG
'nt injury to the snail, boldly de- IL
MN. The persevering creature fc
II The laDga Of a foy, ~, tbe ,,, | h,