262 . 



CHAPTER OF CRITICISM. 



On the Music of Snails. 

 To the Editor of the Naturalist. 



Sir, — Some time ago an article appeared in Mr.CHARLESWORra's ("Loudon's"!) 

 Magazine of Natural History vituperative of The Naturalist. It was taken no 

 notice of, its bad taste being sufficiently evident, and being therefore considered 

 only likely to injure the falling cause it was intended to serve. The burden of 

 the song was an attempt to throw ridicule upon an interesting fact, respecting 

 the musical sounds attributed to snails, which had been mentioned by a lady of 

 great veracity in a previous number of this Magazine (Vol. I., No. 1, p. 38). 

 The whole narrative was sneered at, as utterly unsuitable to the pages of a 

 scientific journal. Now, Sir, for an illustration of inconsistency. Mr. Charles- 

 worth may indeed say, that he had not the conductorship of Loudon's Magazine 

 of Natural History at the time I am about to allude to. No, very true, but if 

 the Editor is changed, why keep up the former Editor's name ? This may be a 

 puzzling question, but the public, I know, are anxious to have it answered. 

 Will it be answered ? and, if so, will the reply be satisfactory ? Nous verrons I 



Now to the point. In vol. ii., p. 244, of Loudon's Magazine of Natural 

 History, old series (or old style ? u N. S.," I suppose, implies its existence, though 

 people seem to think that the improvement is not so evident as it ought to be), 

 We find the following paragraph, which tallies remarkably with the anecdote 

 related in The Naturalist : — 



" Musical Snails. — As I was sitting in my room, on the first floor, about nine 

 p. m. (4th of October last), I was surprised with what I supposed to be the notes 

 of a bird, under or upon the sill of the window. My impression was, that they 

 somewhat resembled the notes of the Wild Duck in its nocturnal flight, and, at 

 times, the twitter of a Redbreast, in quick succession. To be satisfied on the 

 subject, I carefully removed the shutter, and, to my surprise, found it was a 

 Garden Snail, which, in drawing itself along the glass, had produced sounds 

 similar to those elicited from the musical glasses. — Sam. Woodward, Diana 

 Square, Norwich, April 3, 1829." 



Now, Sir, some criticism might be indulged in on the narration of Mr. Wood- 

 ward, but I forbear. I will only leave it to the candour oi Mr. Charles worth, 

 whether he ought not to take some notice of the statement I have just made, by 

 way of apology for his former unseemly merriment. 



Remarks on Mr. Joseph Clarke's Notes on the Crossbill. 

 In the palmy days of Loudon's Magazine of Natural History I used sometimes 



