CHAPTER LXII: THE FLESH-EATING LAND 



SNAILS 



Family Testacellid/E 



Carnivorus land mollusks are little known. They are a 

 limited group, called Class Agnatha, the jawless mollusks. 



Genus TESTACELLA, Cuv. 



Shell ear-shaped, terminal, minute; animal long, slug-like, 

 rapacious, living underground, feeding on earth worms and 

 other mollusks. 



The Ear Shell Testacella {T. lalioiidea, Drap.) has the 

 predatory habits of a tiger and a shark, showing no mercy to its 

 prey, and ceasing only at the failing of a great appetite. Its 

 worm-like body slides into the burrows of its victims, which it 

 captures by a final spring. The seizing organ is the radula, set 

 with sharp backward-turning teeth. There is nothing to save 

 the earth-worm from this grip; its struggles fasten their hold 

 tighter as the muscles draw it into the capacious maw. In fact, 

 the whole pharynx turns wrong side out to thrust out the armed 

 tongue-ribbon, and with its withdrawal the worm is swallowed 

 whole. The stomach is stretched very considerably to contain 

 a big worm. 



In wet weather the Testacella has to come out, for it cannot 

 endure drenched earth. In very dry weather it goes deep, even 

 two or three feet, to find moisture, or seals its body in a waxy 

 coat of mucus to check evaporation. It walks abroad at night, 

 but hides by day. When captured it shows a resentful temper, 

 frothing at the mouth, and spitting out the contents of its stomach. 

 It devours earthworms hungrily, but only if they are alive and 

 squirming. Its eggs are large, one-sixth of an inch in diameter. 

 They bounce like rubber balls when dropped. 



Astute gardeners bring Testacella into their greenhouses 



251 



