IN A SNAILERY. 13 



small creature it touches. The oleacina, of Cuba, thus fre- 

 quently is able to feed upon mollusks of twice its strength. 



The snail possesses an elaborate anatomy for the per- 

 formance of all the functions of digestion, respiration, cir- 

 culation, and reproduction. A collar of nervous matter 

 encircles the throat, whence two trunks carry nerves 

 throughout the body, and filaments pass forward to the 

 u horns," the longer and superior pair of which end in 

 minute eyes and are called " eye-stalks," while the shorter 

 pair are only tactile organs, and hence "feelers." These 

 tentacles are as expressive as a mule's ears, giving an ap- 

 pearance of listless enjoyment when they hang down, and 

 an immense alertness if they are rigid, as happens when 

 the snail is on a march. The eyes are of little real use, 

 being excelled for service by the senses of smell and taste, 

 and it is doubtful whether the nerves generally are very 

 sensitive, since a slug will be eaten without manifesting pain. 



It is not surprising, perhaps, to find great tenacity of life 

 in so lowly an animal; but Spallanzani, whose experiments 

 with bats are celebrated, was the first to ascertain that not 

 only parts of the head, but even the whole head might be 

 reproduced, although not always. The shell is easily and 

 frequently repaired, albeit hastily and not with the fine 

 workmanship of the original. 



