338 SNAILS. 



seems less qualified to commit the depredations 

 which it does, than the garden snail. We grieve 

 to see our fruit mangled and disfigured by these 

 creatures, but cannot readily comprehend by what 

 means they obtain the knowledge that its maturity 

 is approaching though we find that they must 

 be endued with some faculty capable of accom- 

 plishing the purpose; for no sooner does a plum, 

 a fig, a nectarine, or other fruit, begin to ripen 

 on the wall, and long before any sensible odour 

 can be diffused from it, even before an experienced 

 eye can detect the approach to maturity, than 

 those creatures, the slug and the snail, will advance 

 from their asylums, though remotely situate, and 

 proceed by very direct paths to the object. This 

 cannot probably be by the guidance of any known 

 faculty. Eyesight was once considered to be 

 situate on the summit of their horns ; but this is 

 now known to be erroneous, and we do not know 

 that they have any vision. The acoustic organ of 

 worms and insects is unknown; and it is not by 

 any means ascertained that these creatures ever 

 hear *. If they possess the faculty of smelling, in 

 them it must be a very exquisite sense, beyond 

 any delicacy we can comprehend. Thus, exclud- 

 ing human means of comprehension, which appear 

 inadequate, we more reasonably conclude them to 



* That bees are attracted by the hiving-pan is generally con- 

 sidered as fallacious, and the practice useless. 



