LIMAX. 33 



time parts of the United States they are extremely abun- 

 dant. Like rats and mice, and various destructive in- 

 sects which have proceeded from continent to continent 

 and from island to island in the same manner, they 

 occupy the houses and other structures, and the imme- 

 diate vicinity of man, preying upon the fruits of his 

 industry, and consuming his stores of provisions. Like 

 them they thrive only in the vicinity of, and, as it were, 

 in contact with man, and never withdraw from him to 

 resume their original manner of living in the wilds. 

 These habits are the cause of much mischief, and when 

 the animals are numerous, render them the pests of 

 the house and the garden. Their increase therefore, 

 beyond a certain point, becomes prejudicial, and means 

 are adopted to keep them in check. In various ways 

 thousands of them are destroyed during the year, but 

 their extraordinary fertility enables them to make the 

 loss good, and to sustain themselves in undimimshed 

 numbers. 



Dr. Dekay, in his Catalogue of the Animals of New 

 York, has indicated by name, two new species of Limax, 

 L, lineatus and L. marmoratus. But as they are not 

 subsequently mentioned in his final report, it is probable 

 that he regards them as varieties of some of the other 

 described species. 



M. Rafinesque also described a supposed species as 

 Limax gracilis ; its characters have been given in the 

 introduction. 



VOL. II. 5 



