150 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



Connected with this shell I should allude to a singular fact — the impossibility that 

 exists of preserving the animal when taken from its native soil, at least so far as 

 the experiment has been tried. I collected twenty dozen of the finest and most 

 vigorous specimens for the late Butler Bryan, Esq. ; half of those he distributed on 

 his property in the county Meath, and the remainder in the demesne lands of Ferns, 

 county Wexford, the scene of his appaling murder. Mr. Bryan distributed them 

 himself, assimilating the soil as closely as possible to their own, but without suc- 

 cess — he wrote me that the experiment was a total failure, but he was deter- 

 mined to give it a more extended trial on a future occasion. I tried the experi- 

 ment at Feltrim, near Malahide, with the same results, although I succeeded in 

 rearing Helix pomatia, or edible snail, in a degree. I most carefully watched 

 them, but within a month or two they invariably declined and melted away. The 

 last locality I placed them in was Portmarnock, one in every respect similar to 

 their own. Here failure again occurred. Whether they were picked up by the 

 naturalists who frequented this interesting spot, or that the locale was unfavour- 

 able, I cannot say, but I could not again find them ; that they never increased is 

 quite evident. In referring once again to Knockangin, I should observe, that it 

 was on this strand where Scalaria Turtoni was first noticed, and which was 

 named after Doctor Turton, who had done so much to elucidate the science of 

 conchology. 



Dr. Kinahan laid before the Society a series of specimens obtained near 

 Baltrae, on the north side of the Boyne, in March last, in company with 

 Mr. Montgomery. On that occasion he traced the shells about a mile north 

 of the Boyne. Dr. Kinahan corroborated Dr. Farran's statement of their extreme 

 local occurrence, the slip on which they were found in many places being only a few 

 hundred yards wide. Some of the finest were obtained on the south side of the Boyne ; 

 many of them were pure white, or bearing translucent instead of coloured bands. 

 Dr. Kinahan had at this present time, alive and thriving, specimens taken in Meath, 

 so far back as the latter end of March. The young shells were many of them 

 carinated, and among the specimens were some equalling in size Continental speci- 

 mens in the British Museum. 



Mr. Andrews said that the thanks of the Society were due to Doctor Farran for 

 his notes on this beautiful shell, and for the perfect series he now presented to the 

 Society. Some years since, when making a botanical ramble in the county of 

 Kerry, he (Mr. Andrews) found a number of specimens of Helix Cingenda, firmly 

 attached by a kind of deposit, or incrustation, to the leaves of the yellow water- iris 

 — with these, on the same plant, were found specimens of Succinea putris. The 

 animal of H. pisana is of a pale ash colour, with eyes intensely black'; but the shells 

 present such variableness of character— some yellowish and white, altogether want- 

 ing the bands — that he communicated with the late eminent zoologist, William 

 Thompson, expressive of the views that ardent zoologists might entertain of form- 

 ing specific differences, for sometimes the labour was great in separating varieties, 

 or in proving their affinities. Mr. Andrews read Mr. Thompson's reply, dated 

 April, 1845 : — " You did well not to trouble yourself about the species of the shells, 

 for it is a most critical study, and I should be most sorry now to spend the time on 

 it that I once did. The species is most interesting, being Helix pisana (H. Cin- 

 genda), hitherto known only in one locality." 



Doctor Kinahan then gave his paper 



ON THE ABNORMAL FORMS OF FERNS (CONCLUDED). 



Since I last had the honour of addressing you, I have, through the kind- 

 ness of its owner, had the opportunity afforded me of examining a most extensive 

 collection both of growing plants and dried specimens in the possession of G. B. 

 Wollaston, Esq. ; this has enabled me to add several species and even genera 

 to the two divisions treated of at our last meeting. The genera are Cystopteris and 

 Adiantum, to the subvar. Multifidum (including under them three species), to which 

 Hymenophyllum Wilsoni, is also added by him. To the number of species in the 

 variety Ramosum (Cristatum), I have not obtained any additions ; but in his col- 

 lection may be found a most perfect series of forms illustrative of this monstrosity, 



