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THE ESCULENT SNAIL *. 



This is the largest of all the Land Snails pro 

 duced in this country. It is found in the woods 

 and under hedges in Northamptonshire and some 

 others of the southern counties. 



At the commencement of winter it carefully 

 closes up it's shell with a thick white cover, or oper- 

 culum, attached to its body, that just fills up the 

 opening, and in this inclosed state remains till the 

 commencement of warm weather, seldom appear- 

 ing abroad till about the beginning of April. 



It is large and fleshy, and, when properly cooked, 

 not unpleasant to the taste. Among the Romans 

 it constituted a favourite dish ; but, if the account 

 of Varro is to be credited, they had it of a size in- 

 finitely larger than any now known, for this writer 

 assures us that the shells of some of them would 

 hold ten quarts. They kept these animals in what 

 were called the Coehlearia or Snail Stews. These 

 were generally made under rocks or eminences, 

 whose bottoms were watered by lakes or rivers ; 

 and if a natural dew or moisture was not found, 

 they formed an artificial one by bringing a pipe into 

 the place bored full of holes like a watering-pot, 

 through which it was continually sprinkled. They 

 required little attendance or food, supplying them- 

 selves, in a great measure, as they crawled about 

 the sides or floor of their habitation. To fatten 



Helix pomatia. Linn. 



