io84 



THE NATURE BOOK 



EGGS OF LIMACIDM AND YOUNG SLUG ONE DAY OLD. 



ability to new surroundings characteristic 

 of the Limax. 



Owing to its habit of frequenting cul- 

 tivated land it has become colonized in 

 many countries, ousting the native slug 

 after a time. It is a most destructive 

 slug, moving rapidly in the fashion of the 

 Limax. In woods and shady places the 

 pale varieties abound, the darker occurring 

 in the open. The coloration goes through 

 considerable change, passing from light to 

 darker tones in the change of the seasons. 

 A pale cream-coloured animal in the 

 spring becomes a rich brown in autumn, 

 so the exact identification of a variety is 

 complicated by the modifying conditions 

 of time and place. 



The illustrations on page 1067 show 

 the shells of Limax maximus and Agrio- 

 limax agrestis in contrast ; those of the 

 latter are very beautifully formed httle 

 shells of pearly white colour. 



Agriolimax Icrvis is a very small slug 

 of the same species, of uniform chestnut- 

 red colour, having a large " shield " that 

 appears situated in the middle of the 

 body when the abnormally long neck 

 is extended. There are two varieties 

 besides the type form : one mottled brown, 

 A. Itxvis maculata, and a grey and fawn- 

 coloured animal, A. Icevis grisea. 



GE.N'US " LIMAX GAGATES," OK " MILAX " 



This is one of our uncommon slugs, 

 of which the type form is black in colour, 

 though more often represented with us by 

 pale grey or brown. 



The species is regarded by some wiitcis 

 as a link between Limacidcv and Arionidcv 

 on account of the " sliield " being granu- 



lated in the style of the latter animal. 

 In most other respects it is definitely 

 related to the former class, save in three 

 important departures : (i) The extension 

 of the " keel," which runs the whole length 

 of the back from " shield " to tail ; (2) 

 the elevation of the central part of the 

 " shield " into what appears a secondary 

 one of smaller size lying upon it ; (3) 

 the markings of the " foot-sole " being 

 chevron-shaped instead of transverse. 



The elevated portion of the " sliield " 

 is further emphasized by a horseshoe- 

 shaped ring that almost surrounds it. 

 The respiratory orifice is behind the 

 centre of the " shield " border, which is 

 characteristic of the Limacidcc and not 

 of the Arion. 



It is a carnivorous species, rarely eating 

 vegetable food, slow in movement, 

 possessing a thick skin ; the average hfe 

 is some years. 



Milax gagates is a slender slug with a 

 pronounced dorsal " keel," shar])ly trun- 

 cated at the tail. It is a nocturnal species, 

 hving below the earth's surface and feeding 

 on decayed vegetable matter, and is also 

 most destructive to bulbs and tubers of 

 plants. The animal changes diet on 

 occasion, ])reying on small snails and 

 slugs. 



The young slug shown on this page 

 w^as hatched out in captivity, the eggs, 

 five in number, having been found in 

 advanced development in some imjjorted 

 turf. I could not determine the exact 

 x'ariety in so early a stage, save that it 

 belonged to the Limacidcc. When touched 

 it contracted into position of Arion for a 

 brief space of time, showing a sharply 



