ifgi. on snails. 291 



Phenomenon respecting snails. 

 In a fine summer evening was discovered a larg^e 

 eluster of the common black snail, suspended from 

 the branch of a tree, which was about six feet from 

 the ground, by a strong fhining transparentlike thread, 

 of the size of a common packthread. At the time 

 thej were observed, this thread was fully three feet 

 in length ; the snails were entwined in one another ; 

 and, being then nearly dark, the precise number of 

 them could not be ascertained ; but it seemed there 

 might be about five or six that were evidently 

 ■working at the time ; and we could see protruded 

 from the under part of the cluster, a white substance, 

 brighter than the thread above, which gradually 

 lengthen ed. After standing for some time, and ob- 

 serving this operation, as well as the little light wc 

 had would permit, we went away for some time ; 

 and, on our return, it was evident the thread had 

 been lengthened, as they were still in the same posi- 

 tion, but nearer the ground. As it v;^as now begin- 

 ning to grow late, we left them ; but in the morning 

 no traces of the thread could be perceived. It was a 

 large tree, with cavities in the trunk ; and it seemed 

 to me that the snails had taken that method of letting 

 themselves dov/n to the ground in the evening', tliat 

 they might feed there through the night ; and that 

 they ascended the tree in the morning, to hide 

 themselves through the day in their lurking holes ; 

 —but whether they re-ascended by their thread, 

 and drew it up with them ; or whether they crawled 

 up the tree without it, I know not. There were evi- 

 dent traces, though slight, of snails upon the trunk of 

 the tree. It is evident that snails cajj ascend uport 



