The Snail by William Cowper (1731-1800)
To grass, or leaf, or fruit, or wall,
The snail sticks close, nor fears to fall,
As if he grew there, house and all
Together.
Within that house secure he hides,
When danger imminent betides
Of storm, or other harm besides
Of weather.
Give but his horns the slightest touch,
His self-collecting power is such,
He shrinks into his house, with much
Displeasure.
Where’er he dwells, he dwells alone,
Except himself has chattels none,
Well satisfied to be his own
Whole treasure.
Thus, hermit-like, his life he leads,
Nor partner of his banquet needs,
And if he meets one, only feeds
The faster.
Who seeks him must be worse than blind,
(He and his house are so combined,)
If, finding it, he fails to find
Its master.
Do snails have feelings?
In his poem, written in the 18th century, William Cowper suggests that the snail senses danger.
Scientific experiments have shown that snails react to rudimentary feelings like pain and pleasure. They have no central nervous system but rely on nerve cells called ganglia to process experiences. The reactions are simply a means of survival.
When injured or exposed to harmful substances like salt, or slug pellets, they withdraw into their shells and produce foam. This is an involuntary reaction. The foam is a response to unpleasant or harmful chemicals, and a way of swilling nasty poisons out of their systems. They also foam if small insects like ants try to get into their shells, trapping or deterring the invaders. Snails have also been observed to show fear if predators are near. Under threat, their breathing and movement slows.
By contrast, they can show behaviour that suggests pleasure. People who keep snails as pets report that their animals seem to be contented when moving across a wet surface or being sprayed with a fine mist of water at room temperature.
Snails show interest tantamount to excitement when they are offered fresh food, particularly cucumber, which is a favourite treat, though nutritionally empty. They raise their bodies and fully extend their ommatophores (eye-stalks!)
Although they are considered to be solitary creatures, some owners have seen their snails huddle together to feed or sleep. They suggest that snails show signs of distress when one of their fellows dies, or if they are kept in isolation.
It appears that snails can recognise their keepers and be content in their company.
In the wild, snails huddle together to conserve moisture and prevent their skins drying out. In winter they seal their shells to keep out predators, and freezing air, and to prevent dehydration.
Snails hibernate, but slugs do not.
I didn’t think there would be a collective noun for snails, but I found several. The most common is the elegant ‘escargatoire,’ for, naturellement, the French would have a suitable name. There used to be a café in Cherbourg called Madame l’Escargot which served delicious escargots, a succulent treat, so I'm told, after sailing across the English Channel (or, if you’re French, La Manche.)
Another collective noun for snails is a ‘walk’, which is rather appealing, while a third is a ‘rout. A rout is a chaotic progression, or, in military terms, a disorderly retreat after a defeat.
Each of those nouns is rather attractive. I would have expected more apt terms, like slime, or, more poetically, silver, or perhaps spiral. What would you suggest?
