October, 1899.] 213 



SOME ANIMALS FROM THE MACGILLICUDDY'S 



REEKS. 



BY R. P. SCHARPP, PH.D., and GEORGE H. CARPENTER, B.SC 

 [Collected for the R.I. A. Flora and Fauna Committee.] 



In September, 1898, having been deputed by the R.I. A. Flora 

 and Fauna Committee to make a preliminary survey of the fauna 

 of the MacGillicuddy's Reeks, we set out for that famous moun- 

 tain-range. The long distance from Killarney to the foot of 

 the Reeks led us to make Glencar, at the western extremity of 

 the range, our headquarters. Accordingly we took train from 

 Dublin to Killorglin, and drove thence by a road commanding 

 fine views of our proposed collecting-ground. At the approach 

 of evening the mists, which throughout the day had rested on 

 the hills, slowly lifted, and, as we skirted Lough Acoose, the 

 summit of Carrantuohill was plainly to be seen. We soon 

 found ourselves comfortably settled for the night in the 

 Glencar Hotel. 



Early next morning we started for the mountains, the day 

 being fine and almost cloudless. The road from the hotel 

 rises steadily for about three miles to Lough Acoose, whence 

 the ascent begins. Like the whole of Co. Kerry, the district 

 is poor in animal life, and our stay being confined to two 

 days we observed only a small proportion of lowland forms, 

 our main object being to explore the higher regions of the 

 Reeks. The weather being dry, Mollusca were especially 

 scarce. Near the hotel the commonest species were the slugs 

 Arion a/^(both brown and black varieties), Arion Bourguignaii, 

 Limax marginatus {arboium), and Agriolirnax agrestis, while of 

 snails only Helix rotundata was met with. Near Lough 

 Acoose, Vertigo edentula was taken by sweeping Bracken, while 

 Hyalinia radiatula occurred under stones. Flying around 

 the trees or on the lake-shore we noticed very richly marked 

 specimens of the " Vapourer" Moth — Orgyia antiqua. 



We delayed only a short time collecting at the foot of the 

 mountain, and pushed on towards Carrantuohill. The ascent 

 up to 3,100 feet— a point named Caher — is easy, and by 

 keeping high enough up on the side of the valleys, it is 

 possible to avoid boggy ground almost entirely. Up to 1,500 

 feet some common arachnids were fairly numerous ; the 



A 



