THE SNAIL. 



Common and peculiar qualities. 



found ill any animal of the largest dimensions; 



that it has a tongue, brain, salival ducts, glands, 



nerves, stomach, and intestines ; also liver, heart, 



and blood vessels, with a purple bag that sup- 



plies a red matter to different parts of the body, 



together with strong muscles that hold it to tbe 



shell, and which are hardened like tendons at 



their insertion. Thus far, it may be said to pos- 



sess qualities in common with other animals ; 



but, besides these, it has several peculiarities; 



the most striking of which is the having its eyes 



placed on the points of the largest horns. When 



the snail is in motion four horns are plainly seen, 



the two topmost considerably bigger than the 



others, and at the extremities of those are the 



two eyes, which appear like bright black spots; 



they are of a bulbous figure, have but one coat, 



and three humors which are common in the 63-68 



of other animals, namely, the vitreous, aqueous, 



and crystalline, are in these very indistinctly 



seen. The animal possesses the power of direct- 



ing its eyes to any object it will, and to preserve 



them from injury, can instantaneously contract 



them under the belly. Under the small horns is 



situated the mouth, and although the idea of 



teeth may appear inconsistent with an animal of 



such soft substance, it nevertheless possesses no 



less than eight, with which it is enabled to de- 



vour leaves, and many other substances seeming* 



Jy harder than itself; indeed, upon particular 



occasions, it will even bite off pieces of its own 



1 55 3 



