183 
SNAILS AND SLUGS 
Passing to the slugs, a popular term 
applied to those members of the snail family 
in which the shell is usually absent or 
rudimentary, we come to a group that are 
mainly vegetarian feeders, although certain 
kinds partake freely of a carnivorous diet. 
All are endowed with a voracious appetite, 
as owners of gardens will know to their 
cost. 
The largest slug found in Great Britain is 
the great grey slug (.Limax maximus), a creature 
that attains to a length of six inches or 
more. It is found in damp situations, either 
out of doors or in cellars, and hides dur¬ 
ing the daytime, coming forth to feed at 
dusk. A parasitic mite is often found upon 
the body of this slug, and is believed to 
dwell within the respiratory cavity of its 
host. 
Another species of the same genus as the 
foregoing is the milky slug (Limax agrestis), 
which receives its name from the peculiar 
milky colour of the mucus it exudes. It is 
found in abundance amidst strawberry beds, 
and causes much damage to the fruit. It also 
feeds upon earthworms. These slugs are very 
prolific and bring forth several families during 
the course of a year, the late Mr. Lydekker 
stating that “ a single pair have been known 
