1901. Notes. 173 



Conchological Society— Committee for Collective Investigation. 



The following are the subjects for enquiry proposed for 1901-1902. 

 Returns should reach the Secretary (S. E. Boycott, The Grange, Here- 

 ford), not later than September 1st, 1902: — 



I. Do you find Vallonia pulchella and the form coslata together or 

 separately ? In dry or moist situation ? Do intermediate forms occur ? 

 Does each form seem to affect a particular kind of habitat ? 



II. Are Tachea nemoralis and T. hortensis found together or separately ? 

 (1) In the same district ? (2) In the same locality (hedgebank, &c.) ? Is 

 there any difference in the habitat most affected by each species ? 



III. Do Claiisilia rugosa (bidentatd) and Balia perversa occur together ? 

 What habitat are they found in ? 



IV. Are there any constant differences between the radulae of: — 



(1) Hyalinia cellaria and H. alliaria. (2) Limncea peregra and L. anricu- 

 laria. (3) Succinea putris and ..9. elegans. (4) Tachea nemoralis and T. 

 hortensis ? 



V. Record the circumstances attending the disappearance to which 

 certain species, such as A. glutinosa, H.fusca, and V. edentula, are subject. 

 How are such disappearances to be accounted for ? 



Notes on Fishes from the Co. Down Coast. 



As a sea-fisherman, when observing " plays " of gulls, razorbills, &c, 

 ravenously devouring fry, I have sometimes questioned the wisdom of so 

 much protection for these enemies of the " harmless necessary" herring, 

 while the embryo " two-eyed beefsteaks " are left entirely at their mercy. 

 It has recently been stated (in the English Mechanic, I think), that since 

 sea-birds were protected, fish have been decreasing. Although this 

 would be difficult to prove, it is clearly probable. 



In my piscatorial efforts with a net on the Glassdrunimond coast this 

 season, I captured a fish of a kind I had never seen before. At first sight 

 we took it for a Grey Mullet, but the shape of its head being different, 

 we sent this, with a description of the body (which also we ate, and very 

 good it was), to Mr. Robert Patterson of Belfast, who pronounced it a 

 Basse (Labrax Lttpus), and rare on our northern Irish coasts. 



J. Brown. 

 Longhurst, Duumurry. 



The Snake near Wexford. 



One would like to know a little more about the " Stray Viper, near 

 Wexford," reported in the August number of the Irish Naturalist. 



The statement that it was "upwards of three feet long " affords pre- 

 sumptive evidence that it was not a Viper, but a Common Snake, examples 

 of which are from time to time introduced by way of experiment to see 

 "whether snakes can live in Ireland." 



J. E- Harting. 

 Burlington House, London. 



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