MOLLUSCA IN THE NORTH OF SCOTLAND 



with marshy patches of ground similar to those on Skye. 

 These were the habitats that produced mollusca, and whether 

 the locality was in the wooded part or on the coast away 

 from it, the results and the species were the same. 



Pine woods of any age were scarce near the sea. A 

 small one at Glenelg was investigated, but did not yield 

 much with the exception of slugs. 



Old ruins proved to be good habitats for mollusca, 

 especially those where lime had been used in building, and 

 in most cases the specimens were large, and in the case of 

 Hyalinia cellaria they were very fine. The ruins on Skye 

 were decaying walls of old churches, and in one instance a 

 cotter's dwelling. At Glenelg the ruins of the Barnera 

 Barracks and old farm dwellings were the chief places. The 

 stone fences along some of the roads at Gairloch, Glenelg, 

 and on Skye in most cases produced Balea perversa, and in 

 numerous instances Clausilia bidentata. The finest specimens 

 of both these were collected on Skye, the Clausilia being 

 from a wall near the ruins of the old church at Beila Point. 



On the east coast Aberdeenshire the most prolific 

 habitats were the steep slopes that run down between the 

 cliffs in several places. These appear to be always moist and 

 keep the vegetation in vigorous growth. Amongst the plant- 

 life on these slopes the Hairy Woodrush was the predominant 

 form. That part of the Aberdeenshire coast where the 

 sandhills occur only produced Helix hortensis very commonly. 

 Any other species were comparatively scarce. The scarcity 

 of moist or boggy ground may account for this. 



Inland the best habitats were those near rivers and 

 streams only. The high sloping banks on the south side of 

 the river Don, between the new Bridge of Don and the 

 old Bridge of Balgownie, was the best habitat investigated. 

 The banks were moist and covered with rank vegetation, 

 comprising the plants before mentioned, with the addition of 

 wild raspberry in great abundance. Higher up the river 

 at Persley the banks were not so high, and were drier in 

 character. Here the Hairy Woodrush occurred in isolated 

 patches, which on investigation yielded the smaller species, 

 though by no means commonly. The wooded part near the 

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