SNAILS. 341 



mangled and disfigured by these creatures, but 

 cannot readily comprehend by what means they 

 obtain the knowledge that its maturity is approach- 

 ing though we find that they must be endued 

 with some faculty capable of accomplishing the 

 purpose ; for no sooner does a plum, a fig, a nec- 

 tarine, 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, excluding 

 human means of comprehension, which appear 

 inadequate, we more reasonably conclude them to 

 be endowed with intelligences for effecting inten- 

 tions of which we have no perception, and which we 

 have no capacity for defining. The contemplative 

 man finds pleasure in viewing the ways and artifices 



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

 sidered as fallacious; and the practice useless. 



