140 Stearns — Diabrolica 12-Punctata and Limax Maximus. 



The Limax* (L. maximus) is usually found in the rear of the 

 house or back yard in crevices about the brick foundation, pre- 

 sumahly attracted by the cooking odors of the kitchen. It is 

 nocturnal in its habits. It makes its home under hoards or piles 

 of old bricks, in nooks and corners, preferring such places as are 

 dark, damp and cool. At night itgoesforth seeking what it may 

 devour, and apparently always has a good appetite, and knows 

 no such word as fail. In its foraging expeditions it makes a direct 

 line, a short cut to the garbage can, if there is one, or whatever 

 contains the refuse of the scullery ; a greasy soup bone, even, does 

 not escape attention. However distant these may he, or how- 

 ever dark the night, the sense of smell is the compass that guides, 

 and it never loses the trail when on the home tack, returning to 

 its hiding place about or soon after sunrise. Their slimy tracks 

 when dry glisten like silver, and may he seen radiating like the 

 spokes of a wheel where the hub or centre has been an old bone 

 or piece of stale meat. Occasionally the slugs invade the kitchen 

 and not infrequently their nightly excursions extend to the 

 pantry. 



Though a night traveler its eyes are apparently of little use, 

 the exceeding development of the sense of smell compensating 

 for lack or dimness of vision. With this in mind Limax can he 

 diverted from its haunts when these are too near the house by 

 keeping the garbage receptacle as far as possihle away from the 

 kitchen, and by furnishing cover near by in the shape of pieces 

 of board, a pile of brick-bats or cobblestones in some dark, damp 

 corner cool spot, and further by baiting with a greasy bone or stale 

 fish, for the Limax is a scavenger and to a limited extent ben- 

 eficial when seen in that light. 



A slug-hunt should he in order once in a while, the oftener 

 the better. The captives are easily killed by dropping them into 

 any vessel containing strong brine. With these simple precau- 

 tions they can soon be nearly if not quite cleaned out. When 

 the kitchen or pantry is frequented fine salt liberally strewed on 

 the Moor near the threshholds may be used to advantage. 



As to the seat of the sense of smell in the Insects ami Mollusks, 

 which has heen discussed for many years, there is still a wide 

 diversity of opinion. However, that is another story and need 

 not he considered here. 



* Nautilus, Vol. XVIII, Phila., July, 1904. 



