250 ZOOLOGY. 



up. In warm, damp weather the young slugs (which 

 are one-twelfth of an inch long in the contracted, and 

 two-fifths of an inch in the extended condition) hatch 

 out in three or four weeks. Cold weather retards the 

 development. If the weather is favourable, and suit- 

 able food is not wanting, they are often almost full- 

 grown in six weeks' time. It is clear, from the 

 foregoing, that in damp years the slugs may appear 

 in very large numbers, especially in autumn ; but it 

 may also happen that most of the young slugs hatch 

 out the following spring, in which case the greatest 

 amount o£ damage will he done then. A snail Ta&y 

 live several years, spending the dry days and the 

 whole of the cold season in the ground or some other 

 sheltered place. These slugs devour by preference 

 delicate leaves and stems ; young grain, young clover 

 plants, leaves of rape, cabbage, turnips, and lettuce 

 are their favourite food, also fallen fruit, strawber- 

 ries, cucumbers, and vegetable marrows. Preventive 

 Measures : Protection of their natural enemies : pigs, 

 moles, shrews, ducks, fowls, pigeons, rooks, starlings, 

 toads. Draining the soil, as slugs flourish most where 

 it is moist. Sowing the winter grain as soon as 

 possible, as the young plants will then probably have 

 attained a fair size when the slugs appear in force. 

 Remedies : Collection. The slugs readily crawl on to 

 bits of cucumber or turnip which are thrown down, 

 and can then easily be collected, or killed with quick- 

 lime. All substances which readily absorb water kill 

 slugs by taking from them the moisture which is 

 necessary for their existence. Cooking-salt, unslaked 

 and slaked lime may be employed for this purpose. It 

 seems to me most convenient to use freshly slaked 

 lime, ten to twelve bushels per acre. Since the lime 

 can only kill the slugs when it comes into contact 

 with their skins, it must always be strewn on the 

 land at a time when they are on the crawl, not later 

 than 8 a.m., and only in dry weather. As soon as the 



