OF TURBINATED SHELL-FISH. 249 



After eighteen days they produce their eggs, at. the opening of the 

 neck, and hide them in the earth with the greateft folicitude. Thefe 

 eggs are in great numbers, round, white, and covered with a foft 

 Ihell ; flicking to each other by an imperceptible (lime : about the fize 

 of a fmall pea. 



Sometimes thefe animals are cruQied feemingly to pieces and utterly 

 deftroyed j yet, in a few days, they mend their numerous breaches by 

 the fame fubflance of which the (hell is originally made. They are 

 fometimes feen with eight or ten of thefe patches; but though poflefling 

 power to mend its fhell, it cannot, when at full growth, make a new one. 

 The Snail is very voracious ; fubfifts on the leaves of plants and 

 trees ; but is very delicate in its choice. The animal moves forward by 

 means of that broad miifcular fkin which fometimes is feen projecting 

 round the mouth of the fhell ; this is expanded before, and then con- 

 tracfted with a kind of undulating motion; alfo by its flimy fubftance, 

 with which it is copioufly furnilhed, and which it emits wherever it 

 moves, as on a kind of carpet, it proceeds flowly along, without danger 

 of wounding its tender body againft afperities ; by this it afcends to its 

 food on trees, and by this defcends, without danger of falling, and 

 breaking its fhell. 



At the approach of winter, the Snail buries itfelf in the earth, or re- 

 tires to fome hole, to continue torpid during the feverity of the feafon : 

 fometimes alone ; but more frequently feveral are found together, ap- 

 parently deprived of life and fenfation. For warmth and fecurity, the 

 Snail forms a cover or lid to the mouth of its lliell with its (lime, 

 which ftops it up entirely, and thus prote(5ls it from every external dan- 

 ger : this is whitifn, pretty hard and folid, yet porous and thin to admit 

 air, without which the animal cannot live. The Snail awakes one of the 

 firll fine days of April, breaks open its cell, and fallies forth for nourifh- 

 ment : being very voracious, at firft almoft any vegetable that is green 

 fecms welcome; but the fucculent plants of the garden, and the various 

 kinds of pullc, are at fome feafons almoft wholly deftroyed by their 

 numbers. So great is the. multiplication of fnails at fome years, that 

 gardeners imagine they burft from the earth. A wet feafon is generally 

 favourable to their produdion ; for very dry feafons, or dry places, caufe 

 too great a confumption of its flime, without plenty of which it cannot 

 iubliit in health and vigour. 



Of the Sea-Snail naturaliftshave mentioned fifteen kinds ; of the KreHi- 

 ■ w\iter'Sna:l eight kinds; and of the Land- Snail five. Thefe ftrongly 



refemble 



