8 KAMBLES IN SEARCH OF SHELLS. 



average sized freshwater mussel contain about 

 400,000 eggs. 



If we add to this faint outline of the internal 

 structure of snails and slugs, that these animals are 

 essential in checking the redundancy of vegetation, 

 removing decomposing matter, both animal and vege- 

 table, and supplying dainty food to many other 

 members of the animal kingdom, we shall have said 

 enough, perhaps, to show that they possess a high 

 degree of interest. 



It has often been a matter of surprise to us that 

 the study of the land and freshwater shells has not 

 more votaries, especially amongst the fair sex. The 

 subject may be easily coupled with botany, being, 

 as it were, nearly associated with it ; for whether 

 we ramble on the downs, in the woodland, or in 

 the marsh, in search of any particular plant, we 

 seldom fail to find in close proximity to it some 

 species or other of mollusca which claims its shelter 

 or support. 



