﻿

388 



T H 



NAT 



R AL 



H 



O R 



LIMAX i. Subfufca media. 



The fmall Snail. 



Though Jamaica abounds with many forts of the teftaceous fnails, I could not 

 obferve above one or two forts that go without coverings ; and thefe are chiefly 



i 



found in the woods, where they may be frequently feen, either mornings or evenings 

 when the grafs is frefh and moift. 





O R 



E R 



II. 



Of fuch as are furnifhed with convenient but pliable limbs, and form and dwell 



conjlantly in fix 'd receptacles of 'various figures and great hardnefs. 



\ S I have adopted the late op 





A 



dered 



ft of thofe hard 



difpofition of thefe infects, and 



ftructures in wh 



thorn 



giv 



*s 



fome 



the prod 



o 



f 



mere amm 



labou 



it may 



be 



of the nature and mechanifm of the inhabit 



76 generally find 

 pected I mould 

 nts. But as this 



be hardly undertaken by any, befides thofe th 



h 



made this part of na- 



"urations 



Hiftory particularly their ftudy, and ftrictly obferved the motions and 



limbs were frefh and pliabl 



f 



ndivid 



s 



hile the 



d 



th referring 



to thofe a nth 



on 



their motions perfect; I (hall content myfelf 



"whofe obfervations the opinion was firft founded, and by which, I muft acknow 

 ledge, I was chiefly induced to difpole many of them in this order and clafs 

 will the hypothefis app 



Nor 



though we mould evef remain ftrang 



particular modes of action, when we confider the general properties of the 



ptacles in which they are commonly found 

 ilance of the fame nature and difpofition with that of which oth 

 verings, the acknowledged work of other fubmarine infects, are mad 

 where divided into convenient and fimilar lodges. 



ptacles formed of a fub- 



and co- 

 id every 



When indeed we confider the diminutive fize and languid motions of thofe 



tures, it feems amazing that they (hould be the fabricators of fuch confiderable maf 



fes 



wholly unacquainted with 



but 



only from other confiderations 



peculiar mechanifms, we 



It is however allowed, that thefe little infects are always found in the pores and 



of thefe mafles; and it has been obferved that their lodg 



ftantly fi 



milar and diftributed very regularly throughout the whole fubftance. The maffes 

 themfelves we find of a nature and texture inconfiftent with the growth or circulation 

 of vegetables, and not wholly conformable to the accretion or condenfation of fofiils, 



to v 



ch however they feem to approach the neareft ; but wealwavs find 



fwer the laws of appofition, and to be, both in nature and difpofition, like other 



bodies which all acknowledge to be 



of the like in ft 



then be allowed to confider them as productions of the fame fort? Many, I do be 



hy may 



not 



lieve, 



b 



(* 

 <* 



dy enough to allow that they may be fuch, but can't conceive ho 



fuch confiderable mattes can be put togeth 



bv 



ofe languid infirm inhabitant 



mufcle, the oyfler, and the congue, they obferve, with reafon, do bear 

 proportion to their coverings, as well as moil of the other clammy marine infect 

 nd this, I muft acknowledge, is the ffrongeft 



g 



I 



° > 



the 



hear againft 

 fuppofition of thofe other mafTes being alfo formed by the Very inhabitants that are 



d in them. But we cmoht to confider that thefe little in feds are endowed 





with 



perhaps 



organs 



and 



S 



t 



chanifms with which we are yet unacquainted 



(hall 



the fluid 



k thofe fabricks fo difproportionate as fome imagine, when we confider 



hich they live abounds with matter of th 



fa 



a 



ways fupplies a fufficient quantity of proper particles for fuch purpoft 



nature, which 



P 



that 



