SNAIL. 
593 
very brittle ; about a quarter of an inch, or three 
eighths in length, and somewhat triangular, like the 
blade of a sword.” 
Dr. Maton has often observed these spiculae, but 
never saw them actually projected from one to the 
other. 
Snails retire into holes or other sheltered places 
at the approach of winter, where they cover the 
mouths of their shells with a glutinous operculum, 
or lid, and remain in a torpid state till the genial 
warmth of the following spring tempts them abroad 
again. The long fast which they sustain during the 
winter season, reduces their size, and renders them 
so voracious on their first coming forth, that almost 
any green vegetable is relished by them, and con- 
sumed with the greatest avidity. When moist food 
is not to be obtained, they will even eat dry sub- 
stances, and have been known, when confined for 
a single night under a glass of more than four inches 
diameter, placed on a sheet of common blue paper, 
entirely to devour the whole of the paper contained 
in the included space, to the very edge of the glass. 
Snails are said to be exceedingly tenacious of life, 
and some wonderful accounts have been published 
to prove this quality. Among them, we find the 
history of some, which, after having been known to 
remain about fifteen years shut up in a cabinet, 
came to life again upon being immersed in water ! 
and of others which stood a boiling twice repeated, 
and yet were none the worse for it the next morn- 
ing. That we may not, however, make the thing 
2 a 
VOL. 11. 
