S86 



THE IOUNG NATUEALIST. 



vegetation should be sought among, 

 and where there are any stones, they 

 must be turned over. In some places 

 stone walls are substituted for hedges. 

 These, especially in damp places, often 

 become overgrown with moss, and the 

 diligent collector will find many speci- 

 mens among or under it. The edges of 

 streams are productive in more ways than 

 one. Here, under damp stones and 

 among moss will always be found various 

 species that prefer such a habitat. 

 There, among the rejectamenta brought 

 down by a fresh, may be collected, not 

 only those species that live among such 

 rubbish, but others, often only dead 

 shells that have been carried by the 

 stream from a greater or lesser distance. 

 Follow the stream to the sea, and on 

 the muddy flats, among the rushes and 

 coarse herbage, a few species not to be 

 had elsewhere may be obtained. If 

 there are not many kinds the number 

 of specimens to be found in such a 

 locality will make up for the deficiency. 



All snails love moisture. The heat 

 of the sun is to them certain death, and 

 neither in the bright sunshine, nor in 

 any dry, droughty place, need these be 

 looked for with much hope of success. 

 A heavy dew or a shower of rain will 

 bring them out, and then is the time to 

 look for them. In damp woods they 

 may be found at any time. It is no 

 wonder then with their love of moisture 

 that very many are inhabitants of water. 

 About one-third of the univalves and all 

 the bivalves live in that element. To 

 collect them, rather different means are 

 required. The bivalves live in the mud 



of ponds and streams, and some kind of 

 dredge is neeeded to obtain them. 

 Perhaps a tin one, made something 

 like the domestic article called a 

 colander, which is a tin dish per- 

 forated with holes at the bottom, is 

 best, because you need to bring to 

 the bank both mud and stones from 

 the bottom of the pond as well as 

 plants growing in the water. To this 

 instrument a handle must be affixed, 

 and then push it among the mud, &c. 

 Bring out all you have got, your prey 

 are not quick in their movements, and 

 cannot escape you. Now wash away 

 the mud, shake the plants, examine the 

 stones, and if you are right in a choice 

 of place, you are sure to get many 

 species. We have seen the larger 

 bivalves brought out by inserting a 

 pointed stick between the open valves . 

 They close instantly on the intruder, 

 and lead to their own capture by their 

 effort to save themselves. Many of the 

 univalves, such as the genera Planorbis, 

 Lymncea, fyc, may be seen on a calm! 

 evening floating on the surface of the) 

 pond on their outstretched foot. TheseL. 

 may be taken by any net similar tot 

 those used by Entomologists. 



A hint or two as to localities and oui 

 space is exhausted. The South i 

 England is much more numerous 

 species than the North, and " the chalk' 

 will be found most productive. Nex 

 to chalk, are limestone districts. It I 

 well known that thase soils produce i ■'■ 

 larger number of plants than others 

 Entomologists know that this varietj 

 of plants gives them more species o 



