12 t 



AGRIOLIMAX LjEVIS. 



The act of conjugation in this species has never been described, but it 

 has been observed by Gassies, in the var. arenaria, to take place usually at 



Fig. 140. 



Fig. 141. 



Fig. 137. Fig. 138. Fig. 139. 



Reproduclive organs of A^rioliinasc Irmis Miill. X 6, illustrating the metamorphic ciianges 

 to which they are subject (after Babor). 

 Fig. 137. — The organs in their earliest or solely female .state. 

 Fig. 138. — The succeeding stage, showing the budding of the male organ. 

 Fig. 139. — The perfected hermaphrodite state. 



Fig. 140.— The following period, showing the dwindling of the female organs in the process of 

 becoming solely male. 



Fig. 141.— The cycle of change completed, the female organs having disappeared, and the animal 

 being solely male. 



night, or during thunderstorms and tempestuous rains, and is known to be 

 preceded by the circular procession and amatory flirtations which seem so 

 characteristic of slugs generally, but this preliminary courtship is appar- 

 ently in this species a very tedious and prolonged operation, as these 

 blandishments have been observed to continue for more than an hour at 

 a stretch without result. 



The seminal element would appear to be transferred enclosed within 

 a soft mucous capsule, of a somewhat triangular shape, which represents 

 and acts as a true spermatophore, and is 

 apparently formed in the outer or larger 

 limb of the fiagellum, which functions as a 

 slime gland, while the smaller projection or 

 limb when inverted functions as the intro- 

 mittent organ. 



The eggs are roundi.sh, quite transparent, of somewhat leathery consis- 

 tency, with a diameter varying between 1'3 and 2 '8 millimetres, and are 

 deposited either singly or in small clusters, held together by clear slime, in 

 moist situations, all the year through. According to the observations of 

 Gassies and others, they are laid at intervals of a day or more, three 

 days after pairing, deposition extending over a period of si.\ or eight days, 

 and the total number being said not to exceed about thirty. 



The hatching takes place in from twenty to forty da)'s, the young when 

 excluded being about three millimetres long and of a reddish colour, which 

 gradually becomes of a browner shade, the animals attaining maturity in 

 about seventy days. 



Food and Habits. — Aijr'iolhna.r Iwiy's is the most active, restless, and 

 fearless of our shigs, and even hardier than A. (tunvtiti. If touched when 

 crawling it has been observed to elevate the media.n jiart of its body, in a 

 manner recalling the mode of progression characterizing the caterpillar of 

 the Geometrida;, the mantle then appearing very protuberant. 



Fig. 112. — Mucous 

 sperm capsule, or sper- 

 matophore, of ^. /<FZ>/S 

 (after Simroih). 



