* zOutdoors TheReview Wednesday, March 25,1992 — Cll Land snails are easily found in nearby regional parks I suspect that most people are more or less acquainted with a few of the common marine snails which we find glued to the rocks in great numbers along our shorel- ines. But I wonder how many, have seen the fellow, or gal, in our photo today. I was going to type “he,” but it would be more appropriate to say “It? since it is at once both a male and female land snail, a herma- phrodite with the reproductive organs of both sexes. According to Kozloff, 1991, its 4 @ handle is Allogona townsendiana. Where would you look for such an animal? Mary and I picked up this one to photograph along one of the trails in John Dean Park but they may be found on Horth Hill, Bear Hill, Mt. Work, Francis King, Thetis Lake and other West Coast woodland parks. LAND SNAIL They are most active in spring. The land snail in our photo is readily spotted since it is a full inch in diameter with a brown shell, whitish where the outer layer is worm off and marked with rather conspicuous light lines running round the whorls. Land snails tend to be coiled, more or less, in a plane, and are hence less spiralled than most snails. “It” is of course a gastropod having a protective shell, a mantle, a large fleshy foot and a rasping tongue. Like the slug, this gastropod has taken to life on land rather than water in which most of its relatives thrive. In land snails, the mantle and mantle cavity have been modified to serve as a “lung” for air- breathing. The eyes are on the tips of long stalks. CY HAMPSON photo Cyclists’ proposals supported A network of bicycling paths within the Capital Regional Dis- trict was supported in principle by Central Saanich council recently. Aldermen approved the idea March 2 after hearing a presenta- tion from Ed Woodword, an execu- tive member of the Greater Vic- toria Cycling Coalition, at a com- mittee meeting. Woodard said cycling is the fastest increasing mode of trans- portation in the region and is economical, healthy and non- polluting. Cyclists are asking for the same consideration as other travelers, ,. Woodard said. He suggested the old CNR right- of-way along Lochside Drive should be developed into a bicycle Toute. Such a route would allow less experienced cyclists and visiting cyclists to enjoy a scenic route without the hazards created by motor vehicular traffic. Ald. Arlene Box said develop- ing the right-of-way for “bicycles only” would eliminate a present linear park which is used by walkers and riders. She suggested many of those who use bicycles to commute to and from work use the fastest route, which is along the highway Fz on major roads. As a bicycle commuter, Mayor Ted Jones said he takes the most direct and safest route. He felt the Lochside right-of-way would be a recreational route if it was devel- oped as a bicycle path. Any bicycle path network would have to be coordinated between municipalities, he added. Ald. Jack Mar said the regional district’s transportation committee is recommended all secondary roads be widened to allow better use by cyclists. He suggested the cycling coalition make a presenta- tion to the regional transportation committee. Two other recommendations by the coalition — bicycle education programs and enforcement of the motor vehicle act as it applies to cyclists — were also approved in principle by Central Saanich coun- cil members. “Tt is a motherhood issue,” Ald. Clarence Bolt remarked. Woodard asked council mem- bers to eliminate a local regulation forcing cyclists to use the Keating Crossroad sidewalk, however staff said cyclists are not forced to use the sidewalk. Engineer Al Mackey said a wider sidewalk had been con- Sttucted beside Keating Crossroad to allow bicycles on the sidewalk. Box said the wider sidewalk was intended to be used by children _ liding bicycles to nearby Keating Elementary school. They feed upon various types of vegetation by rasping it away with the radula, a sort of tongue equipped with thousands of tiny effective teeth which may be read- ily replaced when wom down. Land snails are very widely distributed, existing on the tops of high mountains, hidden deep in rain forests or buried in deserts where they may remain inactive for several years until favorable conditions of humidity return. One writer has estimated the number of species as exceeding 18,000. Land snails are considered a gastronomic delight in several countries, particularly in France. There, the snail attains its great- est stature on the end of a fork. From the days when housewives had to spend long tedious hours washing, elaborately preparing and cooking them with reference to divers tantalising recipes, they are now immediately available from a host of organized and skilful “Snail Preparers.” In France alone, well over 250 million land snails, principally of two species, are consumed annually. Les escargots for Homo sapiens, no? In addition, the University of Paris purchases several hundreds of pounds every year in connection with research work on steroids, via a study of the gastric juices which the snails secrete. It was found possible to isolate steroids without damaging them. So, the lowly land snail has found an important place in some national economies, in the natural history of invertebrates, in ecology. Would that it could shed some light on our current Constitutional wrangling! Av EMERGENCY NUMBER 655-4459 5-10025 GALARAN RD. 655-1313 BUY & SAVE 9818 4th Street, Sidney, B.C. 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