THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



is muscle used to move the animal 

 with its shelly burden. 



There are three important genera of 

 Limnccidcc, each with universal dis- 

 tribution. The shells of the Limncea, 

 or true pond snails, are almost cornu- 

 copia shape, spirally oblong, twisting, 

 as the shell is held with the apex up, 

 from the right. The last whorl is 

 large, with a rounded opening, the lip 

 being quite thin. The shells average 

 less than an inch in length. This 

 species has ever had my dislike. If 

 such creatures may be especially called 

 lazy, these are the laziest. For hours 

 they will not move, and when they do 

 they drag along by means of a small foot, 

 they progress slowly. 



Likewise of inactive nature are the 

 trumpet snails, Planorbis, coiled flat 

 like a watch-spring. The most inter- 

 esting thing about these is to see the 

 shell carried upright by the small 

 body. 



In contrast to the above genera, 

 genus Physa contains the athletes of 

 the family. The shell twists from the 

 left, forming a large, rounded final 

 whorl. The body is very much larger 

 than those of other species, the "foot" 

 having a long mantle which extends 

 the whole length of the shell. Physce 

 are amphibious, staying part of the 

 time out of the water. Ever on the go are 

 these snails, and they can get along at 

 a surprisingly rapid rate. In all other 

 respects they are also active, so most 

 of the following incidents have been 

 noted with the Physa. 



As with most of the lower animals, 

 the search for food is the life of a snail. 

 Large plants are eaten by some 

 species ; the Physa, with extended foot, 

 mows the algae, looking like a green 

 scum, from the stones and plants. 

 Within three or four days a couple of 

 Physa will thus clean off the glass of 

 a large aquarium. But the pond 

 snails {Limncea) are, as I have ex- 

 plained it to myself, too lazy to even 

 go after food, and I have seen numbers 

 die because they did not make the 

 effort to turn over to reach the food. 

 An interesting fact soon noticed is 

 that snails will clean off the algae from 

 each other's shells. When they be- 



come so engaged, they are hard to separ- 

 ate. 



Another peculiar note is that a snail, 

 so far as I can observe, is unable to 

 go backwards ; indeed the Limnce, if 

 left stranded above water, seems even 

 unable to turn as do the other species. 



A rather comical sight is that of a 

 Physa walking on the water." Lying 

 with shell down, they allow the foot to 

 extend just beneath the surface, and 

 by going through the usual walking 

 motions, they will travel along using 

 the top of the water as if it was a firm 

 support. 



Some Parrot Queries. 



Is your parrot subject to fainting 

 spells, when over-excited, or upon 

 hearing a sudden noise? Try a change 

 of diet. "Fatema," my macaw, kept 

 the family in continual alarm, through 

 such attacks, until we gradually in- 

 creased the allowance of nuts, which 

 were thenceforth dealt out in unstinted 

 numbers a course resulting in changed 

 health-conditions in which fainting 

 found no place. 



We sometimes refer to the words of 

 parrots as spoken without reason. 

 Why was it that Fatema never called 

 "Papa" but when she knew him to be 

 within hearing distance, or when she 

 heard the distant rumble of the car- 

 riage which was bringing him — never 

 except when he went to the war, at 

 which season her lamentations in con- 

 nection with his name, seemed impos- 

 sible to any but some weeping child. 



Why would she, if not invited to 

 share his dainty morsel, call to him : 

 "Papa I like it!" and if not at once 

 considered, would repeat her appeal 

 with emphasis, adding the jerky words, 

 "Hully up !" 



Why did she exclaim, from time to 

 time, when being carried from the 

 shadowy house to the open air and sun- 

 light : "Oh look at the beautiful sun !" 



Why would she laugh at the joke be- 

 fore others had time to do so, and star- 

 tle one by applying words in proper 

 places, all of the above being untaught? 



