88 Dr. Latham'.* Ohfervations on the Spinning Limax. 



Nature of Linnxus, p. 3101. Limax a/bus clypeo jiavefcente. Lifter has 

 figured it, not inaccurately, both in his Animal. AtigUa, p. 130. 

 tab. i.f. 16. as well as in his Synopjis Method. Conch, as one of his 

 Cochleae nudce terrejires^ fee tab. 101. A. : but both figures feem to cor- 

 refpond with the plain fort, in which the fhield and body do not 

 differ in colour; for he names it L. cinereus parvus immctculatus. 

 However he is filent in refpect to the faculty, in this identical fpe- 

 cies, of fpinning a thread, although he has noticed the circum- 

 ftance in the Limax cinereus of Linnaeus, which he names L. cinereus 

 maximus Jfnatus & macu!atus> p. 127. /. .2. f. 15. (the fame figured in 

 his Synopfis, tab. 101. a. f. d.) and delivers his fentiments, at p. 130, 

 in the following words : ■?? Eofdem Limaces alio tempore circa men- 

 ** fern Junium in fylvis opacis obfervavi, ex arborum ramis demif- 

 " ibs, "fingulos fingulis funibus bipedalibus craffis & validis fatis : at 

 ct e propria faliva confeclis. Eft fane magna affinitas inter humo- 

 *' rem ilium e quo araneorum erucarumque fila .fiunt, atque horum 

 " animalium falivam." 



In refpect to the quantity of glutinous matter fufficient for the 

 purpofe of fuf pennon, according to Swammerdam the texture of the 

 whole furface of the body is more or lefs difpofed to furnifli it * ; 

 but, by the above obfervations, we find that the glands of the belly 

 and under parts are thofe which are materially fubfervient thereto. 



* Bill. Nature part i. ord. I. cap. 6. where he fays, " After what manner the flimy 

 " humour difhils from the glands of the (kin, may be feen in this manner : The fkin muft 

 " be wiped with fpongy blotting paper until none of the flimy humour is feen, or till the 

 cc whole is" cleared off-, then the (kin mud be taken between the fingers and prefled 

 " gently ; and if this be done under a microfcope, the flimy humour will be feen to come 

 *' out infenfibly from the glandular pores of the fkin like clear and minute points: thefe, 

 " by continuing the prefTure, will become fmall drops ; and thefe, in fome time, gather- 

 " ing together, will form a confiderable collection of this matter ; fo that the whole fkin 

 " will be moiftened and become glutinous." See Book of Nature, part i. p. 54. (Engl. 

 TranJ.J 



From 



