WOTTON : ^.IFE-HISTOR^■ OF ARION ATER. 1 63 



varieties of one species in the same locality where similar soil 

 and food were the common lot of them all. Again, I have often 

 fed slugs on coloured paper — a kind of food for which, by the 

 way, they seem to have a great partiality. Now little if any of 

 the colouring matter is absorbed or digested by the animal, the 

 excrement being invariably of the same colour as the paper it 

 had partaken of. This remark also applies to carrot, potato, 

 etc., and it is very curious to see the little heaps of excreted 

 matter of different colours jotted here and there after animals 

 had been supplied with diversely-colcmred food. 



From the above facts I am led to infer — without being in 

 the slightest degree dogmatic on the point — that, whilst the 

 colour of the parent is transmitted to the young in perhaps the 

 majority of cases, in some it is constitutional and peculiar to the 

 individual. As yet no satisfactory reason can be given which 

 will account for these colour-changes. 



Avion ater is carnivorous and herbivorous, but I have 

 seldom seen them take animal food. At times they will eat 

 the slime and epidermis from off each other's back, which 

 means death to the victim. The strangest part of it is that the 

 creature so operated upon will go on eating its own food 

 apparently indifferent to, or unconscious of the fact that it is 

 being slowly murdered. Occasionally it will make an ineffectual 

 attempt to shake its assailant off, and then resume its meal with 

 seeming content. 



They possess the power of existing for several weeks with- 

 out solid food, providing a plentiful supply of moisture is 

 obtainable, although under such conditions growth is arrested 

 and the animal becomes considerably dwarfed in size. Without 

 food or moisture life cannot be supported beyond three or 

 four days. A bath is a favourite pastime with this mollusc, 

 which it seems to thoroughly enjoy, and it will often remain 

 submerged for a considerable time. I have known them re- 

 cover a^ter having been completely submerged (compulsorily) 

 for nearly three days. 



