t 435 ] 
Mr, STUCKEY SIMON to Dr. MACBRIDE. 
s 1 Dublin, 26 Nov. 1772. 1 
AN accident having brought to light what 
fome Naturalills have not had an opportunity to 
examine into, and which has been a fubject of 
fome coriverfation amongft gentlemen to whom I ' 
have mentioned it, has made me commit to 
writing the fimple fadts, in order to put others 
on making further experiments on the fub- 
je£t. — About three months fince, I was fettling 
fome fhells in a drawer ; amongA which were 
fome fnail-fhells. I took them out, and gave them 
to my fon (a child about ten years old), who was 
then in the room with me. The Saturday fol- 
lowing, the child diverted himfelf with the {hells, 
put them into a flower-pot, which he filled with 
water, and next morning put them into a bafin. 
Having occafion to ufe it, I obferved the fnails 
had come out of the {hells. I examined the child* 
He allured me they were the fame I gave him 
fome days before ; and faid he had a few more, 
which he brought me. I put one of them in 
water ; and, in half an hour after, I obferved him 
put out his horns and body, which he moved 
with a flow motion, I fuppofe from weak- 
nefs. I then informed Major Valiancy and Dr* 
Span of this furprifing difcovery. They did me 
the favour to come to my houfe the Saturday fol- 
lowing, to examine the fnails > and, on putting 
them in water, found that only one had life, 
Kkk 2 ^ihich 
