Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1901 — Intelligence of the Snail. [ARTICLE]

Intelligence of the Snail.

M. Jourdaln, a French scientist, has expressed the belief that few animals have a keener appreciation of muslo than snails. This will be a startling statement to many of us, who have been accustomed to look upon snails as about the most stupid creatures in the world. A casual inspection would Indicate that the slow creatures have little feeling of any kind. However, M. Jourdaln says that if you place some snails on a pane of glass you will find that as they move along they will make musical sounds similar to those which a person can produce by wetting the finger and rubbing it around a glass tumbler. Complete airs, he points out, have been played on tumblers in this way, and he expresses the opinion that quite as good results can be produced by using snails instead of fingers. The scientist goeß on to say that, contrary to the popular impression, snails are extraordinarily sympathetic and intelligent. A careful study of their movements indicates that they derive happiness from the sounds they produce on smooth surfaces while crawling along. Their intelligence is proved by the Ingenious methods they seem to devise to hide themselves from the hurts which members of the animal kingdom and the human family are apt to Inflict