55 



is white. The npper horns are small in proportion to 

 the dimensions of the slug. Th e colour of the shield is 

 yellowish grey, and having dark longitudinal bands. 

 Large specimens are three inches long. 



The shell is milky-white, vai-ying much in thickness. 



The eggs are o?al, and are laid singly, either in the 

 soil, or amongst rotten wood. 



Limax arborum, when young, frequently descends 

 from the branches of trees, like the spider, by means of 

 mucus threads, instead of returning as they ascended. 



It inhabits decaying wood and trees, feeding upon 

 the wood. 



A remarkable provision of nature, possessed by the 

 slugs and snails, is readily seen in this species, 

 owing to the transparency of the superior tentacles. 

 As with other of the Limaces, the eyes are placed at 

 the ends of the upper pair of horns, on a tube which is 

 situated in the centre of the tentacles, and extending to 

 the mantle of the animal. If the end of either horn be 

 touched, the eye will instantly recede down the tentacle, 

 moving independently of it. By this all wise ordina- 

 tion these animals do not run so many risks of losing 

 their sight as they would if constructed otherwise, for 

 the tentacles are used as feelers, and when thtse touch 

 any substance the eye is instantly withdrawn from the 

 end, until such time as ihe animal becomes aware there 

 is no danger of injury to the sight. 



In this neighbourhood it is found sparingly at 

 Thrumpton, and abundantly at Highfield House. 



Other localities given by Professor Forbes in " British 

 Mollusca'' are: — Northumberland (Backhouse), near 

 Liverpool (Byerly), Surrey (Forbes), in the Isle of 

 Wight (Thompson). In Scotland — Aberdeen (Macgil- 

 livray), and in Islay (Thompson). In Ireland — near 

 Cork (Forbes), common in the north (Thompson), and 

 widely distributed through the island (Clarke). 



