32 GENUS LIMAX. 



Food and Habits. — Tlie habits of tlie Limmudw are very various, 

 some being almost subterranean in their mode of life, but all are nocturnal 

 or crepuscular, only leaving their lurking places at eve or during damp and 

 showery weather. 



A characteristic feature of the Liniachhr is the plentiful secretion of 

 mucus which may be utilized in the form of mucus filaments as a ready 

 means of descent from elevated positions/ 



Some of the species are eminently omnivorous, others are almost entirely 

 restricted to fungi, while many will greedily devour such food when offered ; 

 indeed, Simroth affirms their original food to be the Basidiomycetes, and the 

 fungiferous stratum of moss in forests, heaths and mountains to be their 

 original head-quarters. All, however, are more or less inclined to a flesh- 

 diet, and on occasion may be not only carnivorous or cannibalistic, but even 

 predatory. 



Parasites and Enemies. — Many animals prey upon the Limacidw, 

 Hedgehogs, Frogs, and Toads being gTeat enemies, and Ducks and Geese very 

 partial to them, while the Thrtishes, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Starling, Plovers, 

 Curlew, Woodcock, Whinchat, Coot, Quail, Oyster-Catcher, Landrail, etc., 

 are all recorded as slug devourers. Blindworms (Anguh fragilis) and 

 some of the larger Staphylinida; also prey upon them ; the Wood Ant has 

 been observed to attack and overcome even the larger species, and larvae of 

 various dipterous flies are very destructive to them in the egg state. 



Parasitic upon them are Isn.ipm-a riira, a Gregarine, also Davainea pro- 

 glottina, which is parasitic in the domestic fowl, but passes one of its stages 

 within the body of a Limax ; while a Nematoid worm, Ascarioides limaci.'!, 

 is said to be found within the egg. Ph'dodromm limnciim,^ an Acarid, 

 almost universally parasitic upon the land gastropods, is often particularly 

 plentiful upon the different species of Limacidtc. 



Geographical Distribution. — The Limacidcc are apparently of world- 

 wide distribution, but it is probable that when their internal organization 

 has been accurately ascertained, it will be found that the Liwacidw of dis- 

 tant regions are more ])rimitive forms and not so closely related in structure 

 to western paljearctic species as their external aspect appears to indicate. 



Gknus limax Linne. 



History. — The term Limax {LhiKu, a slug ; according to Brumati, the 

 equivalent Italian word Limiaca is derived from limus, dirt, clay, or mud) 

 was originated or instituted by Linne to distinguish one of the five great 

 groups into which he classified the Mollusca. 



This broad application of the term has, however, from time to time been 

 restricted until it is now used to more especially distinguish the .species 

 centreing around Limax maximus. 



Generic Characters. — Externally, the Limaces are distinguished by 

 their more or less distinctly maculate or longitudinally fasciate body ; their 

 thin INTEGUMENT ; their long and slender tentacles markedly bulbous at 

 the apex ; dorsal furrows distinctly marked, arising beneath the mantle 

 and terminating at front of head, where they form the fa("ial grooves''; 

 mantle or shield anterior, aliout one-third of total length of body, concen- 

 trically wrinkled, with :i sub-posterior nucleus ; mucus clear or stained with 

 red or yellow. 



Shell elongate or ovoid in shape, white, slightly concave ; apex posterior, 

 inclined to left side, and slightly attached to animal ; lines of growth con- 

 centric and occasionally well marked. 



1 MoiMR. i., p. 310. 2 Muiioc. i.,p. I'.'H, f, 738. ,3 Monog. i., p. 186, f. SCO. 



