204 HALF-HOURS IN THE GKEEN LANES. 



CHAPTER VH. 



THE SNAILS AND SLUGS OP OUR GREEN LANES. 



have already alluded to the numerous 

 fresh-water snails to be found in 

 every standing pool or tarn, and now 

 proceed to describe objects allied to 

 them which are no less common. Nay, many of 

 them are, in the opinion of horticulturists, only 

 too abundant, and without doubt, these gentlemen 

 would express no sigh of regret at their extinction. 

 Here, however, we have not to do with the utility of 

 natural objects. Our task is simply to draw atten- 

 tion to them, and if some of them are injurious to 

 man, possibly we may extract some compensation 

 by turning snails and slugs into objects of scientific 

 interest. 



Well do these creatures deserve their scientific 

 name. Many people who call them "nasty soft 

 things " little imagine that in the latter adjective 

 they are applying to them the same epithet as is 

 conveyed under the Greek word mollusca, which 



