148 UTILIZATION OF MINUTE LIFE. 



has so much increased lately, that the oyster trade 

 suffered last year in France, in consequence of the 

 number of these snails brought into the markets. 



These land snails shut themselves up for the 

 winter in a curious manner, by means of what is 



FIG. 14. Helix pomatia (Edible Snail). 



called an operculum, a flat circular piece of shell- 

 like substance, just large enough to cover the 

 opening of the animal's shell, to which it is attached 

 by a strong mucous cement. The snail, having 

 previously fixed itself to a wall or a tree by means 

 of the same glutinous substance, or buried itself 

 among the dead leaves, remains throughout the 

 winter in this state, without food, until the warmth 

 and moisture of spring recalls it to life. 



In countries where snails are used as food, they 

 are only taken whilst in this state of hybernation. 

 They are reared and fattened in what are called 

 snail-gardens (escargotoires, French). 



