8 LIMACIDiE. 



equally apply to all its varieties. It is usually from three 

 to five inches in length when crawling. Its shape then is 

 lanceolate, bulky, and rounded; when at rest it is much 

 contracted, and elevates its back into a prominent hump, 

 that rises above the shield. The head is rather stout, and 

 bears two moderately long upper, and two rather short 

 lower tentacles, all dark blue ; between them two dark 

 lines are traced on the forehead, sending branches to the 

 upper ones. The disk or shield is slightly truncated in 

 front, rounded behind ; its surface is minutely granulate ; 

 its orifice is placed antero-laterally. The back of the 

 body is rounded, very convex, and wrinkled with strongly 

 carinated long prominences. The terminal ones are 

 elevated above a triangular grey flattened space occupied 

 by the mucous gland. The margin of the foot is mem- 

 branous and expanded, and at the tail it is still wider, and 

 emarginate or truncate. The colour is exceedingly variable 

 and often very brilliant. In open fields, this slug is often of 

 a jet black ; in woods, a variety occurs, occasionally nearly 

 white, or tinged on the back with pale yellow only. It is 

 frequently found of a general reddish- brown, and some- 

 times entirely orange, or dusky on the shield and back, 

 with orange sides. The margin of the foot is almost 

 always yellow, often bright orange, and lineated either 

 with transverse black or deep orange or red lines. The 

 lips are orange. There is a small variety, white or dusky, 

 found not unfrequently in the neighbourhood of gardens, 

 remarkable for having a dusky, or nearly black line, on 

 each side of the centre of the shield, and a corresponding 

 line on each side of the back. We cannot make out clear 

 distinctions of specific value, however, for this form. In 

 the shield of the common Arion calcareous particles often 

 occur. The eggs are thick-skinned, yellowish, oblong, 



