470 Insect Pests. 



Tkeatment. 



This snail may be kept in check in strawberry beds by heavy 

 dustings of soot or a mixture of one part lime, ten parts naphthalene, 

 to one hundred parts of fine ash broadcast over the beds when 

 the fruit has set. 



NATUjiAL Enemies. 



In spite of damage done by the Thrush {Turdus mucivorus), there 

 is no doubt but that this beautiful song-bird does much good by 

 devouring this snail in large numbers. 



SLUGS. 



(Limacidai.) 



Slugs cause a good deal of loss to strawberry growers and at 

 the same time they do no little harm to the gooseberry, as is pointed 

 out on page 282. 



Of slugs the three most destructive species are Arion ater 

 Agriolimax agrestis, and Limax maxinius. 



Arion ater (Linn.), or the Black Slug, is found in damp woods, 

 gardens and hedges ; and during the day under stones, logs of wood, 

 and even tunnelling under ground ; it reappears, however, directly 

 after rain, and attacks all kinds of soft succulent leaves. It is a 

 great pest in gardens. At the same time it acts as a scavenger. 

 This species has a variety of names on account of its variable 

 colour. Ferussac named it A. empirieorum, on account of the 

 calcareous matter found under the shield having been used in 

 medicines. It is also now identified with A. flavus, though at 

 one time considered to be a distinct species. The shell of A. ater 

 consists of small separate calcareous grains of unequal size. The 

 colour of the body varies from black to red, yellow, green, brown, 

 and occasionally a dirty yellowish-white, covered with large pro- 

 minent tubercles, often much contracted and rounded in front and 

 somewhat pointed behind; the mantle is paler than the rest of 

 body; the tentacles much swollen distally; foot with yellowish 

 border; slime of a yellowish colour. The eggs, which are oval, 

 white, opaque bodies, take about a month to develop. The young 

 grow slowly, and apparently do not attain the adult condition until 

 they are a year old. This slug has frequently been reported and 

 observed as an enemy of ripe strawberries. 



