THE SNAILS AND SLUGS OF THE GREEN LANES. '20iy 



eggs under stones. Like the species already men- 

 tioned, it is infested with mites. The Yellow slug 

 (L.flavus) often grows to the length of four or five 

 inches, but it may be identified from the foregoing 

 species by the end of its tail, which is keeled, as 

 well as by its yellowish body, covered with blackish- 

 brown spots. Usually its slime is of a yellowish 

 colour, but when irritated, the animal has the 

 power of secreting a bluish-white mucus. Unlike 

 some slugs, this species usually associates in numbers, 

 especially in damp cellars, night being the time 

 when they sally forth on predatory expeditions. 

 You may find it in plenty in damp woods, or under 

 stones ; but it may there be distinguished from the 

 Field slug (L. agrestis) by the much smaller size of 

 the latter, which is also of a yellowish-grey colour, 

 mottled the colour, however, varying considerably 

 in individuals. The length of this species rarely 

 exceed an inch and a half. The farmer and gardener 

 are well acquainted with it, as one of their worst 

 enemies ; but it is possible to decoy it away from 

 more valuable vegetation by greased cabbage leaves, 

 of which it is specially fond. These leaves may 

 be laid where ducks can devour the slugs, as that 

 dainty bird regards the slug much as we do the 

 " Whitstable Native." One great cause of the des- 

 tructive powers of this species is its immense 

 fertility, for an individual has been found to lay as 

 many as three hundred and eighty eggs. 



The Tree slug (L. arboreus) takes its name from 



