( *48 ) 



OF TURBINATED SHELL-FISH. 



TO conceive the manner in which certain animals fubfift at the bot- 

 tom of the deep, we muft again have recourfe to one of a fimilar 

 nature and formation that we know. 



The Snail is fuprifmgly fitted for the life it is to lead. Its organs of 

 life are almoft as complete as the largefb animal j tongue, brain, falival 

 du6ls, glands, nerves, ftomach, inteftines ; livq-, heart, and blood- 

 veflels : befides this, it has a purple bag that furniflies a red matter to 

 different parts of the body, together with ftrong mufcles that hold it to 

 the fhell, and which are hardened, like tendons, at their infertion. 



Its firfl ftriking peculiarity is its eyes on the points of its largcft horns. 

 When the Snail is in motion, four horns appear ; the two uppermoft and 

 longeft deferve peculiar confideration, having the eyes fixed at their ex- 

 treme ends, appearing like two blackifli points. When. taken out of 

 the boc^y, they are of a bulbous figure; they have but one coat ; and the 

 three humours, the vitreous, the aqueous, and the cryftalline, are indif- 

 tinft. ./Theeyes are directed to different objeds at pleafure, by a regular 

 motion out of the body j or hidden, by a very fwift contra6lion into the 

 body. - Under the fmall, horns is the mouth, furnifhed with eight ridges 

 or teeth. 



Every fnail is at once male and female j and while it hnpregnates ano- 

 ther, is itfcif impregnated ; vefTels fupplying the fluid are placed chiefly 

 in the fore part of the neck, and extend over the bodyj but the organs 

 of both fexes are always found united, and growing together. A large 

 opening on the right fide of the neck, gives a pafTage to excrements, 

 ferves as an opening for refpiration, and alfo as an organ of generation; 

 "within which each has other necefTary parts, and from which apertures, 

 they being greatly dilated, two organs, refembling inteftines, are ktn 

 ilTuing : from the fame aperture they lance a kind of .dart, which is 

 pretty hard, barbed, and ending in a very fharp point ; fom.e minutes 

 after, the fnail which received the weapon, darts one of its own at its an- 

 tagonifV, which is received in like manners then Ibftly approaching 

 nearer, they clofe with each other. This is generally thrice repeated, at 

 intervals of fifteen days ; and, at every time, a new dart is mutually 

 emitted. 

 ■:, , After 



