HABITS AND PROPERTIES. 9 



dimensions, and hence the eggs of the same species often 

 vary considerably in size. These are deposited in a clus- 

 ter of thirty, or thereabouts, in the soil and in other 

 moist and protected situations ; or if the species be one 

 that frequents houses, then in the crevices or corners of 

 the walls or under the decaying planks of cellars. In 

 general form and appearance they resemble the eggs of 

 the Helicidce, but differ from them in several important 

 particulars. The eggs of the Helicidce are all opake, 

 while those of this family are more or less transparent, 

 permitting, in the Limaces, a view of the cicatricula, 

 and affording an opportunity of observing its develop- 

 ments. Those of the former family are all deposited 

 free, or unconnected except by a slight agglutination ; 

 those of the latter, in some of the species, are connected 

 together by a prolongation of the outer membrane at 

 their longest diameter, thus forming a sort of rosary. 

 The deposits of eggs when made, are abandoned by the 

 slug, who then removes to some other convenient place. 

 A considerable number of separate deposits are made 

 during the year. 



The slugs, and some species of snails were considered 

 by the Romans to possess medicinal properties, and this 

 belief continued, among the nations of Europe, through the 

 middle ages down to comparatively recent times. There 

 is hardly a disease, internal or external, of man or the 

 domestic animals, in which, according to the statements 

 of authors, they have not proved beneficial ; and the 

 relations concerning them are numerous and truly mar- 



VOL. II. 2 



