Lmid-s nails 345 



to the wasp in addition to the share of blame 

 that rightly belongs to the insect. A full-grown 

 Black Slug measures about 5 inches, and its upper 

 surface is covered with coarse Ion 2^ tubercles. The 

 tentacles are shagreened like the mantle, and their 

 tips are much swollen. In most cases, but not all, 

 the sides of the foot are margined with yellow 

 crossed by dark lines. The Black Slug is by no 

 means always black — it is sometimes white, but 

 more often yellow, red, brown, or black, and there is 

 reason to believe that this variation is protective in 

 character. We have referred to the Black Slug's 

 fondness for fruit, but it must not be supposed it is 

 at all exclusive in respect to diet. Fruit is not 

 always about, so the Black Slug can make a good 

 meal of table vegetables, of wild plants, a dead mouse 

 or bird, earthworms, bread, its own kith and kin, or 

 their slime. It has been known to devour news- 

 paper after two days' fast. The same specimen 

 besides eating the dead bodies of five other slugs, a 

 dead freshwater mussel, some insects, finally ate a little 

 Pear's soap ! — though this, Mr. H. Wallis Kew sa3\s, 

 it took reluctantly, as a person takes physic, no 

 doubt. It showed the same reluctance respecting the 

 poisonous berries of the Arum, and the leathery 

 leaves of Sea Holly and Polypody, though it readily 

 fed upon the lichens Evernia and Ramalina, and 

 such biting things as the leaves of buttercups. It 

 may often be found on Agarics and Boleti, in which it 

 scoops deep holes, but it may be noted that its evident 

 enjoyment of this class of food is no guarantee that 

 the particular fungus attacked is suitable for 

 human consumption, for the Black Slug will eat the 



