Lesson CVI

The Garden Snail

Leading thought—The snail carries his dwelling with him, and retires within it in time of danger. He can climb on any smooth surface.

Method—The pupils should make a snailery, which may consist of any glass jar, with a little soil and some moss or leaves at the bottom, and a shallow dish of water at one side. The moss and soil should be kept moist. Place the snails in this and give them fresh leaves or pulpy fruit, and they will live comfortably in confinement. A bit of cheese-cloth fastened with a rubber band should be placed over the top of the jar. A tumbler inverted over a dish, on which is a leaf or two, makes a good observation cage to pass around the room for closer examination. An empty shell should be at hand, which may be opened and examined.

Observations—1. Where do you find snails? Why do they like to live in such places?

2. How does a snail walk? Describe its “foot.” How can it move with only one foot? Describe how it climbs the side of the glass jar. How does it cling?

3. What sort of a track does a snail leave behind it? What is the use of this mucus?

4. Where are the snail’s eyes? Why is this arrangement convenient? If we touch one of the eyes what happens? What advantage is this to the snail? Can it pull in one eye and leave the other out?

5. Look below the eyes for a pair of feelers. What happens to these if you touch them?

6. What is the use of its shell to a snail? What does the snail do if startled? If attacked? When a snail is withdrawn into its shell can you see any part of the body? Is the shell attached to the middle of the foot? How did the shell grow on the snail’s back? How many spiral turns are there in the full-grown shell? Are there as many in the shell of a young snail? Can you see the little ridges on the shell? Do you think that these show the way the shell grew?

7. Can you find the opening through which the snail draws its breath? Where is this opening? Describe its action.

8. Put the snail in a dry place for two or three days, and see what happens. Do you think this is for the purpose of keeping in moisture? What does the snail do during the winter?

9. Place a snail on its back and see how it rights itself. Describe the way it eats. Can you see the horny upper jaw? Can you see the rasping tongue? What do snails live on?

10. Do you know how the snail eggs look and where they are laid? How large is the shell of the smallest garden snail you ever saw? How many spiral turns were there in it? Open an empty snail shell and see how the spirals widened as the snail grew. Do you think the shell grew by layers added to the lip?

11. Do all snails have shells? Describe all the kinds of snails you know. What people consider snails a table delicacy?

TO A SNAIL

Little Diogenes bearing your tub, whither away so gay,
With your eyes on stalks, and a foot that walks, tell me this I pray!
Is it an honest snail you seek that makes you go so slow,
And over the edges of all things peek? Have you found him, I want to know;
Or do you go slow because you knew, your house is near and tight?
And there is no hurry and surely no worry lest you stay out late at night.