8 7 
V *' * v 
The Hijlory of A N ,1 M A L S Vi: 
C-nj.: lo ffi ' i .»!.*'%[y v” ;■* 
/ N S E C T S. 
... ': l ^ * • . i , V ,, . _ . . • . . / _ 
Series the Third* 
GYMNARTHRIA. 
InfeBs which have foft and naked bodies, furnifhed with limbst 
T HE modern naturalifts have called thefe Zoophyta, a term exprefiing creatures 
partly of an animal, and partly of a vegetable, nature : it was, indeed, in the 
earlier ages of natural knowledge, fuppofed, that there were things of this middle na¬ 
ture between the animal and vegetable world ; but as a better acquaintance with the 
fubje&s of this ftudy has flnce fufficiently convinced us, that there are no fuch crea¬ 
tures, it is extraordinary, that the term fhould be retained by accurate writers, and 
that alfo, while they are perfectly convinced, that there is no participation of the ve¬ 
getable character in the creatures ranked under it,, but that they are as truly and per¬ 
fectly animals, as any other part of the living creation. 
The animals of this feries all agree fo regularly in their general characters, that 
there is no dividing them into difiinCt claffes, though the genera are numerous. 
LIMAX, 
T H E body of the Limax is of a figure approaching to cylindrie, and is perfo¬ 
rated at the fide: the tentacula are four in number, and two of them have the 
appearance of eyes. 
Limax ater . 
The black Limax . 
} ■> ') • * . r 
%\)t wacfe, nafteu Gnat'S, 
This is a confiderably large InfeCt: it’s length is about three inches, and it’s diame¬ 
ter half an inch; it’s head and tail are fmaller than it’s middle ; the back is raifed into 
a convexity; the belly is flat; the whole body is furrowed and wrinkled very con¬ 
fiderably, and is of a deep black colour, except on the belly, where it is paler and 
fomewhat grey. It thrufts out occafionally, at the head, four tentacula, or feelers: 
the whole body is covered with a glutinous fluid, fomewhat like that which naturally 
covers the eel kind : It is an hermaphrodite, both fexes being in each individual, and 
both in the coitus impregnate, and are impregnated, at the fame time.. 
It is common in woods, and under hedges, and in our cellars an^ Other cool places ; 
it appears moft in damp weather. 
Limax fubrufus . 
The reddijh Limax. HatteD, 
This is a fmaller fpecies than the former : it grows to about two inches in length, 
and is thinner in proportion than the black fnail: it’s body is covered with^\numerous 
flight furrows or wrinkles, and is of a dufky-reddifh colour, except on the belly, where 
it is whkifh or greyilh : it is covered with a tough thick mucous matter, and moves 
very flowly, leaving the mark of the path it has kept in the remains of it’s mucilage, 
which dries into a thin glofly film. 
It is common in our woods after rain : Lifler calls it Limax fubrufus. 
Limax flavus maculatus. 
Theyellow^ fpotted Limax . 
This, when full grown, is about an inch and a half long : it’s back is prominent; it’s 
belly hollowed, and it’s head fmall: the whole furface is flighty wrinkled, and is cover¬ 
ed with a mucous juice : the colour is a glofly yellow, with a cafl: of brown in it; and 
the whole body is variegated with fpots of a greyifh colour. 
2 
It 
