1905.] 



Slugs and Snails. 



651 



(1). The Garden Snail {Helix aspevsa. Miiller). 



This is one of the commonest species, and is that most often 

 complained about in gardens, where it devours the choicest 

 plants and vegetables. It often becomes a serious pest to wall 

 fruit, especially in old gardens, and several cases of the complete 

 destruction not only of leafage but also blossom have been 

 observed. The years 1884 and 1889 were remarkable for the 

 great numbers of this snail ; they also appeared in abnormal 

 numbers in some districts during 1904. 



The garden snail is one of the largest species, and can at once be 

 recognised by its brown colour and pale zig-zag lines across the 



shell from the apex of the spire to the base. These snails may 

 reach nearly an inch and a-half in height, but are usually less. 

 Eggs are laid in small batches in the earth, about sixty to 

 seventy in each heap ; they are white, shining, globular bodies, 

 which hatch in about fifteen days. The young snail has a thin 

 and transparent shell, but gro\Vs rapidly. At the approach 01 

 cold weather these snails collect together in heaps amongst dead 

 leaves, in rockeries, amongst the exposed gnarled roots of trees, 

 &c. Here they remain, often united, as stated above, in large 

 masses by means of the epiphragms. They come out from these 



