PROCEEDINGS OF THE PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE, 
143 
racy of this statement, uor say whether snails in the New World 
have acquired more energetic habits than their cousins on this 
side of the Atlantic. 
Snails, as already pointed out, are chiefly herbivorous, living 
on leaves and young shoots, as well as decaying vegetable mat¬ 
ter. They will not refuse small particles of animal food, 
however; and have been observed to pierce the eggs of small 
birds in deserted nests, in order to feast upon the contents. 
They have even been charged with the crime of cannibalism ; 
and Prof. Lister records an instance in which he put a garden 
snail and a black slug (Arion ator) in the same box, and on the 
following day found the latter killed and half-eaten. So long as 
vegetable food is abundant, however, it is probable that it is 
only the gardener who has to complain of the snail’s depre¬ 
dations. On the other hand, the catalogue of the snail’s enemies 
is a long one. Hedgehogs, rats, thrushes, ducks, snakes, toads, 
and foxes attack him from without, while insect parasites prey 
upon him from within, and all in addition to the warfare waged 
against him by man. Perhaps his most persistent enemy is 
the thrush, whose modus operandi is as ingenious as it is cold¬ 
blooded. The unsuspecting snail is suddenly seized up and 
carried to a chosen place of execution, namely, a large block of 
stone. On this its shell, which constitutes its only means of de¬ 
fence, is smashed, either by being dropped from a height or by 
deliberate blows. Such stones may frequently be found sur¬ 
rounded by the debris of the slaughter. One insect parasite 
(Cochleoclonus vorax) effectually expels the snail from its house, 
of which it takes possession for the use of its own family. It 
lays its eggs in the body of the snail, and when these are hatched 
the larvae proceed to eat up their host by slow degrees. By the 
time this is accomplished, the intruders pass into the crysalis 
stage, and in this form esconce themselves safely in the inner¬ 
most recess of the spire of the empty shell. 
1 may conclude this sketch by mentioning some of the ways 
in which the snail is directly of service to man. Doubtless it 
has primarily-an important part t® play in the economy of 
Nature, had we but another Darwin to point out what that part is, 
as has been done with such marvellous ingenuity iu the case of 
its humbler brother, the earth-worm. It is of direct use, first, 
as an article of food. In some parts of Southern Europe snails 
form a large proportion of the diet of the peasants, and, pre¬ 
pared in certain ways, are esteemed a great delicacy. Seven or 
eight thousand snails are thought a necessary part of the pro¬ 
visioning of a vessel starting on a voyage from Bordeaux. They 
are purchased at the rate of 25 centimes, or 2Jd, per 100. Once 
a-year, on Ash Wednesday, a snail feast is held throughout 
France, when immense numbers are consumed. The same 
custom was prevalent in our own country in olden times, and 
indeed still lingers in some parts of the north of England, where 
the working classes go out on the Sunday preceding Ash Wed¬ 
nesday to gather the snails for the feast. In the south of Eng¬ 
land the snail is of service to the farmer, where the value of 
South Down muttou is greatly enhanced by the quantities of 
snails consumed by the sheep. Medical science is indebted to 
the snail for a preparation known as helicine, extracted from 
the slime; while from the same secretion is obtained a substance 
used in bleaching wax, and also an ingredient in some kinds of 
cement. 
Such are some of the facts to be gleaned from the life-history 
of a common snail. I trust I have succeeded in showiug that it 
is a history which will well reward a little careful study, and 
that this creature, which is commonly looked upon only with 
feelings of disgust, is endowed with an organisation which may 
well excite the interest and admiration of the lover of Nature. 
February 7th, 1884. 
Mr -S. T. Ellison, Vice-President, in the Chair, 
NEW MEMBERS. 
The following were elected:—Mr J. M'Arthur, Lord 
Dean of Guild; Mr Janies Ogilvie, Blairgowrie ; Mr J. 
Thomson, Dundee ; Mr D. J. Keay, Perth; Mr J. A. 
Robertson, Perth; Mr D. N. Shaw ; Mr D. Forbes; Dr 
Graham ; Mr D. Wylie; Mr A. J. Wilson, Clydesdale 
Bank; Mr J. W. Fehrenbach, Dunkeld ; Mr and Mrs P. 
Smith, Marshall Place; Mr and Mrs D. Soutar; Mr A. 
Syme, Muirton Bank ; Mr William Garvie, Balhousie; 
Mr W. Miller, George Street; Mr A. Fraser; Mr James 
Morrison; Mr J. W. Jameson, Bank of Scotland; and Mr 
Charles Law, Princes Street. 
The following were nominated for election at next meet¬ 
ing :—As ordinary members—Mr W. Westwood, Princes 
Street; and the Rev. A. Campbell, Free Church, Errol. 
As corresponding member—Mr E. P. Ramsay, F.L.S., 
Curator of the Australian Museum, Sydney. 
As associates—Mr Laidlaw,gamekeeper, Castle Menzies; 
and Mr M‘Donald, gamekeeper, Rannoch Lodge, in ac¬ 
knowledgement of their many contributions to the Perth¬ 
shire Collection. 
NOMINATION OF OFFICE-BEARERS. 
The following were recommended by the Council 
for election as office-bearers for the ensuing year :— 
President, Dr Buchanan White, F.L.S. ; Vice-Presi¬ 
dents, Captain D. M. Smythe, yr. of Methven; Mr S. T. 
Ellison, Mr John Macgregor, and Mr James Stewart; 
Secretary, Mr John Youug, C,E.; Curator, Colonel 
Drummond Hay, C.M.Z.S., of Seggieden; Treasurer, Mr 
John Stewart; Librarian, Mr James Coates ; Editor, Mr 
Henry Coates; and Members of Council, Messrs A, 
Sturrock, R. D. Pullar, and Dr Trotter. 
