UMAX. 83 



4. L. AGRES'TIS,* LiNNfi. Pl. VI. bis. 



Body slender, usually ash-grey with more or less of a rufous- 

 brown or yellowish tint, sometimes cream-colour or whitish, and 

 often mottled, covered, when at rest, with distinct oblong 

 tubercles, nearly smooth when extended ; mantle large, rounded 

 in front, more broadly so behind ; concentric stricc moderately 

 apparent when the animal is at rest, but indistinct when it is 

 crawling ; tentacles dusky-grey ; back provided with a short 

 oblique keel near the tail ; foot rather narrow, sole pale grey or 

 cream-colour ; sliine copious, milk-white, leaving a thick white 

 film when dry. Length I2 inch ; Ihigual ribbon with 100 rows 

 of 65 teeth = 6500. 



Shell nearly oval, concave underneath, nearly flat above, rather 

 thin, with a membranous margin, marked with a few indistinct lines 

 of growth, which extend from the nucleus for a short distance on 

 the convex or upper side of the shell, which is also covered with 

 a network of exceedingly fine microscopic lines ; nucleus small, 

 placed slightly on one side. 



Inhabits gardens, fields, and hedgerows everywhere 

 in this country. It is most destructive to fruit and 

 vegetables in gardens, as well as to oats, clover, peas, 

 and other crops in fields, and it is said to devour 

 earthworms. According to Miiller it is shy, and 

 when touched withdraws its tentacles and lies for a 

 whole day as though it were dead ; a specimen I now 

 have, however, is exceedingly lively ; when touched 

 it instantly protrudes its tentacles, extends its body, 

 and crawls along rather rapidly. These slugs are 

 very prolific, and breed several times between April 

 and November ; the eggs are said to be uninjured by 

 exposure to considerable heat. Gwyn Jeffreys states 

 that they " have retained their vitality and the young 



* Inhabiting fields. 



G 2 



