Giant African Snail — Lange 
327 
individual would lay a few eggs at a time 
over a period of several nights. 
The length of the egg period in the lab- 
oratory on Saipan varied from 6 to 12 days 
with a mean average period of 8.8 days. In 
the field the egg period was approximately 
1 1 days. It was noted that under field condi- 
tions there was a high incidence of infertility 
which was not true under laboratory condi- 
tions. For this reason failure to hatch under 
field conditions was attributed to desiccation 
or other adverse exposure to environmental 
factors. 
After hatching, the young snails began to 
devour the egg shells and ordinarily re- 
mained together in a group feeding on the 
shells during a 3- to 4-day interval. After 
this time they scattered, seeking other food. 
On the day of hatching snails were placed 
Fig. 3. Achatina fulica mating on ground in 
jungle area near Klang, Malaya, January 2, 1948. 
in cans approximately 4 inches wide by 6 
inches deep and growth was observed in the 
laboratory. They were fed upon pieces of 
potato or breadfruit, and 1 gram of powdered 
calcium carbonate was placed in each can to 
assist in shell formation. Distilled water was 
used, inasmuch as the ordinary chlorinated 
drinking water was found to affect young 
snails adversely. During these observations, 
which extended over a 5 -month period, snails 
increased in size from 2.3 whorls at hatch- 
ing to 6.5 whorls. Of 20 individuals observed 
from October 31, 1947, until April 4, 1948, 
only eight were successfully reared. The fol- 
lowing tabulation gives a summary of the 
information obtained. 
TIME 
AVERAGE 
AVERAGE 
EXAMINED 
WEIGHT 
WHORLS 
grams 
number 
At hatching 
0.04 
2.5 
25 days 
0.22 
4.0 
60 days 
2.14 
5.0 
121 days 
6.37 
5. 5-6.0 
156 days 
8.96 
5.5-6. 5 
These rearings are not considered indica- 
tive of the rate of growth under field condi- 
tions inasmuch as snails were fed irregularly 
Fig. 4. Achatina clustered about the base of a 
breadfruit tree — a favorite site for egg deposition. 
Saipan, October 19, 1947. 
