6 The Irish Naturalist. [Jan., 



occurs amongst the coarse grass growing in the clefts of the rocks. 

 This is var. subglobosa, Jeff. 



Helix rufescens, Penn. — Amongst a heap ofstoneson the roadside 

 between Ballycastle and the harbour a large and distinct form was so 

 abundant that it might be swept off the stones literally in handsful. 

 Scarce or absent elsewhere, being, as Thompson remarks, apparently 

 replaced by H. concinna. 



H, fusca, Mont. — Glenshesk: two specimens from moss-shakings. 

 I\Ir. Welch took several specimens at Glenariff, to the south of the 

 district, on his way to join us at Ballycastle on September 3rd, 1896. 



H. arbustorum, L.— There is a small colony of this at Murlough, 

 near the old limekilns, where it was discovered in May of the present 

 year by Mr. Welch. The shells are large, and mostly typical, but a few 

 are var. marjnorata. This species occurs in so very few localities in 

 Ireland that its discovery at Murlough is particularly interesting. 

 Thompson records it for Larne, where he took many specimens. (See 

 Mag. of Zool. and Bot., vol. ii., p. 436). We brought away only a few 

 specimens, and hope the colony will increase and multiply. 



H. virgata, Da Costa. — On the sand-dunes by the Ballycastle golf- 

 links there is an extensive colony of a small form of var. siibmaritima. 

 Near the coastguard station at Balliutoy Mr. Welch took a few in 1894, 

 and this year it is in profusion on a small bank by the roadside there, in 

 company with H. ericetoritm. He also took it on Rathlin Island in 1886, 

 and at Whitepark in May last. Thompson specially mentions its Bally- 

 castle station, and remarks on its erratic method of occurrence in one 

 place, and then its absence for 100 miles or so. 



H. ericetorum, Miiller. — Extremely abundant at Whitepark Bay in 

 company with //. acuta. After a damp night we found both species out 

 in myriads feeding upon the rabbits' droppings, with which the scanty 

 herbage of the sand hills is strewed. Var. leiuozona and a white bandless 

 form were equally common with the type, and some of the shells are 

 unusually large. 



H. acuta, Miiller. — Abundant at Whitepark, where the principal 

 varieties are bizona, strigata, articidata, and Jlamtnulata. Taken by INIr. 

 Welch at Ballycastle in 1889; but we did not find it there this year. 



Hi nemorallSy Miiller. — This beautiful species occurred nearly every- 

 where in suitable localities, exhibiting the usual forms of band variation, 

 and some of the less common colour- varieties : notably at Murlough, where 

 we took some very fine red and yellow bandless shells, some of them 

 extremely thin and fragile, but rather above the average size. With them 

 were some pretty albolabiate and roseolabiate forms ; also var. castanea and 

 \2ir. olivacca. At Whitepark the shells are more solid, well-coloured, and 

 show considerable band-variation : the white-lipped form is not un- 

 common. On the roadside, just above the Ballycastle workhouse, we 

 got some pretty varieties, including var. tmdidata. At Glenshesk some 

 good examples of vars. aitraniia, rubella^ coalita, and albolabiata occurred. 

 In fact the district is in noway behind other places in its show of varietal 

 forms of this attractive species. 



