A LITTLE HOUSE BUILDER 159 
The frugal snail, with forecast of repose, 
Carries his house with him where’er he goes; 
Peeps out, and if there comes a shower of rain, 
Retreats to his small domicile again. 
Touch but a tip of him, a horn,—’tis well,— 
He curls up in his sanctuary shell. 
He’s his own landlord, his own tenant; stay 
As long as he will, he dreads no quarter-day; 
Himself he boards and lodges; both invites 
And feasts himself; wheresoe’er he roam 
Knock when you will, he’s sure to be at home. 
—Charles Lamb. 
“ This specimen which Ruthie found is no 
empty shell. The little creature is 4 at home.’ 
All we have to do is to knock to be in possession 
of various bits of snail information and illustra¬ 
tions. It is of the garden type. So if you will 
put it on a raised pane of glass, with some pea- 
vine, toadstool, or cabbage for a tempting appe¬ 
tizer, you will soon see the little creature poke out 
a foot. Shortly, if it is satisfied that all is well, 
it will begin to stamp itself along toward the 
food, and you may see it both walk and eat. 
“ None of our little craftsmen builds a dain¬ 
tier, more elegant home than the snail. The shell 
is always a spiral, and there are many different 
sizes and colors. Each turn is called a whorl; 
the largest one is the body whorl. The spaces 
between the whorls are the sutures, and the upper 
part is the spire. The apex is the tiny shell that 
