46 WESTERN SERIES OF READERS. 



They are very fond of orange-peel, and may 

 often be found contentedly gnawing a piece that 

 has been thrown down beside some path. They 

 will also drink milk from a saucer. But, while 

 they enjoy the aromatic orange-peel, they are 

 nearly as willing to feast on the remains of a dead 

 comrade; so you see their tastes are not fastidious. 



There are other slugs, much smaller in size, 

 and usually of a dark color. Some of these lurk 

 in the soil of flower-beds, and come up at night to 



eat the young sweet 

 peas or pansies, but 

 are gone again before 

 F^siire 16. you come out in the 



morning to lament over your misfortune. Lay 

 down some pieces of old board among your flow- 

 ers, and 3^ou may be able to trap the spoilers. 



All of the true snails have pretty spiral shells, 

 which they carry around with them wherever 

 they go, as is shown in Figure 16. A part of the 

 body always remains inside the shell; but when 

 the animal is moving or feeding, the greater part 

 of the body is outside, and the place which it once 

 occupied is filled with air. You can find a little 

 hole in the soft ring around the opening of the 

 shell, where the air goes in and out, as need may 

 require. 



