34 STANDEN : OBSERVATIONS ON REPRODUCTION OF DART. 



head in the usual manner, but will have to be side by 

 side before coition can properly take place. 



Feb. i8. — Snails must have been very active during the night, 

 the glass being covered with mucus slime. Darts of 

 both found lying detached on a piece of leaf, entangled 

 in thick mass of yellow slime. Darts perfectly formed, 

 unbroken, and have come cleanly away from annulus. 



During the next three days snails very sluggish, 

 refusing food, and apparently suffering from effects of 

 loss of darts. Afterwards they began feeding vora- 

 ciously, and ate quantities of chalk — so much that 

 their excrement consisted chiefly of chalky pellets. 

 Separated snails, and looked expectantly for eggs. 



March y. — No sign of eggs, so put snails together again. In a 

 short time notice genital aperture begin to enlarge and 

 swell, and symptoms of desire to pair. 



March 8. — Snails very active all day, love-making. 



March p. — Extremely active all day, making repeated attempts 

 to pair. In the evening find a perfect dart lying free in 

 the slime on glass. 



March lO. — Find another dart sticking in a piece of lettuce leaf 

 About a millimetre of point showing on other side of 

 leaf. Dart perfect. 



For four days after this, both torpid again, refusing food, and 

 hanging from top of glass, looking so feeble that it seems 

 as if weight of shell would cause them to fall. 



March 14. — Both feeding and eating much chalk. Dextral 

 snail began burrowing in soil towards evening. 



March 75. — Dextral snail has excavated a deep hole and almost 

 disappeared from view. Hope it is laying eggs. 



March 16. — Shell come out of hole. T.ook carefully for eggs, 

 but find none. Late at night find snails extremely 

 active, with signs of pairing. 



Ma?rh ly. — Snails busy love-making all day. 



J.C., vii., April, 1892. 



