has become an established industry, similar to our oyster fisheries, and 

 thousands of snails are consumed annually. The early Romans considered 

 this animal a dainty dish, and the inhabitants of France, Spain, and 

 Italy have inherited or cultivated a liking for the succulent " shell-fish." 

 This snail has been introduced into New Orleans where it is eaten by 

 the French inhabitants. Helix nemoralis, an edible snail of England, 

 with a beautifully banded shell, is sold in the streets of London and 

 eaten much as we eat walnuts, by picking out the animals with a pin. 

 Owing to their large size, the edible snails make good and valuable 

 pets in captivity. It is interesting to watch one of these snails 

 feeding upon a piece of lettuce, the jaw and radula being plainly 

 visible while at work. Helix pomatia is of a very inquisitive dispo- 

 sition, and will wander about the snailery, or even the whole house, 

 if it can get out, examining everything in a very curious manner. 



" The most interesting snails are by no means the largest. Frequently 

 the small snail shells, with their animals, have habits or shell struc- 

 tures of absorbing interest. Among these are the Pupas, whose tiny 

 shells frequently attain the incredible size of only one-sixteenth of an 

 inch in length ! It is not until we place these mites under the micro- 

 scope that their interesting characteristics are seen and appreciated. 

 By such an examination, we find that the little apertures are modified 

 by many teeth and folds, and we sometimes wonder how the little 

 animal is able to get in and out through such a labyrinth of apparent 

 obstructions. These teeth are said to serve in a manner to protect 

 the animal from its enemies. These tiny shells are always to be 

 found in great numbers under starting bark, and under chips, stones, 

 and debris, in more or less moist localities. 



"In another genus of Pupidce (Clausilia) nature has provided the 

 aperture of the shell with a little valve, called a clausilium, which 

 acts as a spring door to close the shell against all enemies. This door 

 is an additional safeguard, as the aperture is already provided with 

 numerous teeth and folds. 



" It is a curious fact that in the larger groups of animals there are 

 one or more genera which have the cruel and bloodthirsty character 

 of the shark or tiger. The Mollusca are no exception to this rule, 

 and we find in the genus Testacdla of Europe an animal having all 

 of the ferocious propensities of the man-eating tiger. This mollusk 

 has a long, worm-like body, the ear-shaped shell being very small and 

 rudimentary, and placed on the posterior end of the animal. Its 

 principal food consists of earthworms, although it will attack other 

 mollusks, and even its own species. It has been likened to the tiger 



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