HARDVVICKE'S SCIEN CE -G SS IP. 



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log" for Helicella, aud otlier small shells which 

 usually live in such situations, 



Erom all this we learn that each species affects 

 certain stations, aud therefore, with the knowledge 

 of the circumstances in which they are found, 

 we may set out with some definite idea as to what 

 we are likely to meet with ; and in consequence 

 when to collect, and where to collect, are regulated 

 by the unvarying habits of the objects of our search. 



Now, a large portion of the life of most land 

 snails is passed in a state of sleep. Those living 

 in open situations arc inactive during the heat of a 

 summer's day, and when there is continued drought ; 

 but on the first shower, or after the fall of dew at 

 night, they recover aud move about in search of 

 food. Cold acts much in the same respects as heat, 

 and with the fall of the leaf they retire to winter 

 quarters in crannies of rocks, crevices of walls, 

 under heaps of decaying vegetation, &c., or bury them- 

 selves in the soil, there to hybernate till the genial 

 showers of spring awaken them. 



The best time of the year for collecting is in the 

 autumn, when the shells are full-grown. Those 

 collected in spring have lost much of their original 

 beauty by exposure to the rains aud cold of the 

 winter months. 



As regards the particular time of day to collect 

 with advantage, it has already been implied that a 

 search in an open country should be prosecuted 

 after a shower of rain, or during early morn. 

 In damp woods, where throughout the day the air 

 is sufHciently moist to maintain the animals in full 

 activit}-, no such considerations determine the best 

 time for collecting. In such places, light is usually 

 the desideratum, and, consequently, I have found that 

 search conducted at mid-day in a clear sky has been 

 amply rewarded. 



Land snails exhibit a partiality for calcareous 

 soils, not only by those living on downs and hill-sides, 

 but also by the woodland species. 



Having spent the forenoons of three days in 

 gathering slugs and snails as before detailed, one 

 evening was devoted to the preparation of the spe- 

 cimens for the cabinet. 



The first step was to remove the animals, and, as 

 all know, it is neither au easy nor a cleanly task to 

 separate the living snail and its house ; but kill 

 your snail, and, the muscular connection with the 

 shell being severed, its whole body is readily taken 

 out by means of a pin— wliy,tit is just like picking 

 periwinkles; and if the proclivities of our child- 

 hood's days are not entirely obliterated, cleaning 

 out larger snails from their shells will be a task 

 requiring no teaching. But, with regard to the 

 smaller kind, it is another matter, and it will be my 

 duty to show you how to set about the work. 



Now pick out those shells, the apertures of which 

 are wide enough, as it seems to you, to permit the 

 removal of the dead body of the snail by a pin. 



You may also place with them the larger bivalves. 

 All these we will boil to kill the animals ; then 

 strain off the water, and wash with cold water. By 

 this means the bodies contract, aud being firmer, 

 arc not so liable to be broken in the process of 

 removal. Shake the water out of the empty shells, 

 and place them before the fire to dry ; do not rub 

 them, but particles of dirt may be gently flicked 

 off by the aid of a camel-hair brush. Thus we 

 treat the larger snails. Now for the mussels. 

 Doubtlessly most of the dead bodies v/ill have 

 fallen out between the open valves while in tlic 

 w^ater ; should any remain, a slight shaking of the 

 shell held by the hand in the water will remove the 

 contained body. Taken from the water, the valves 

 gape widely; dry the inside and outside with a 

 cloth, and having tape or cotton at hand, close the 

 valves by the pressure of the thumb and fingers of 

 the one hand, and with the end of the thread be- 

 tween your teeth, wind the thread two or three 

 times around the shell with the other; now tie the 

 thread as tight as you can. Yes, I have done so, 

 but still the valves are not closed. True, this is 

 because of the elasticity of thread. If, however, 

 you will take the precaution to wet the thread 

 before tying, you will find that the tie is more 

 secure, and that there is less difficulty in making 

 the second knot. 



With patience and a little skill, bivalves as small 

 as Cijclas cornea may be treated in this way. But 

 the smaller Pisidiuns, aud some of the minute 

 snails, as Carijchiuhi r,iiniiiiur,i, may be prepared for 

 the cabinet by gently drying them ia sand; too 

 great a heat causes a transfusion of the carbon- 

 aceous matter of the animal into the substance of 

 the shell, which is thereby discoloured. 



There still remain for treatment such shells as 

 Clausilia, BuUmus, Helicella, some Helices, &c., 

 the animals of which retreat, on the least irritation, 

 beyond the reach of a pin, and whose shells, indeed, 

 will hardly bear the rough handling almost neces- 

 sary when a pin is used. Their bodies might be 

 dried within the shells, but if it be possible to re- 

 move some portion only of the animal, an attempt 

 should be made to do so. 



Laud snails, when placed in water, do their best 

 to elfect an escape from a medium so fatal to tliem ? 

 their efforts are usually exhibited by stretching out 

 their bodies to the utmost, swaying them to and fro 

 as if in search of a foothold. Taking advantage of 

 this propensity; the snails should be immersed in 

 tepid water, because the majority, after a day or 

 two's confinement in the collecting-boxes, will be 

 in a dormant condition, and warm water has a 

 greater resuscitating effect than cold. When all 

 the snails are struggling to find a way out of their 

 unpleasant situation, gradually add hot water so as 

 to kill or paralyze them while in an extended state. 

 They may now be thrown into boiling water, the 



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