1904. Wki,Ch & STKI.FOX. — Sligo Conference^ Mollusca, 185 



fairly well distributed, and common. P. glaber, another eastern species, 

 we did not find, but Miss Warren gives it in her list. Such distinctly 

 northern or alpine species as Helix arbtisiorum, which is found as high as 

 7,000 feet in the Alps, and H. lamellata assist in giving a northern 

 character to the fauna. In addition to lists mentioned, P. H. Grierson 

 gives (/. Nat., vol. x., 1901, p. no), records for other parts of Leitrim. Our 

 1900 visit included Lough Gill, Dromahaire, Carrowmore, Collooney, and 

 Ball3'sadare, Drumclift, Streedagh Point sand-hills, and the island of 

 luishmurry. On one day G. W. Chaster and E. Collier visited Glencar, 

 where they collected 49 species, partly in Sligo, but mainly well over the 

 Leitrim boundary. We confined our attentions strictly to Leitrim on 

 this present visit, both in the low ground round the eastern end of the 

 lake and in the Swiss Valley (Plate 8). Those who climbed the mountain 

 may have collected in both counties A. ater and H. nemoralis. We dis- 

 tinguish the 'records from the former visit, where we did not repeat 

 them, as " Glencar 1900," for Leitrim, or " Glencar (Sligo)." 



On the slopes and in little hollows at base of the large dune at Strand- 

 hill we found many small "pockets" of wind-collected land-shells. 

 These were sieved on the spot, and yielded a fair number of Vertigos, 

 Acme, &c. In the wind-eroded sand-valley south of the dune we noticed 

 a broken -up mass of firmly consolidated sand. This we would have 

 passed, as such calcretes are common in some more northern sandhills, 

 but for the fact that it contained a number of land-shells, including 

 Helix nemo7-alis (see Plate 9), H. hispida, and Cochlicopa hibrica. Such 

 modern sandstones may be seen to perfection in the course of formation 

 in the Rosguill Peninsula, North Donegal, where the shallow pools on 

 the great sand-flat of Tranarossan dry up frequently in dry weather, 

 depositing the lime held in solution among the sand grains. As at 

 Rosguill, the Sligo sands are partly composed of finely comminuted 

 shells. An instance like this is of interest in showing one way in which 

 even great masses of sandstone may have become consolidated with 

 their fossil remains in past ages. We found another little instance too 

 of "the testimony of the rocks" being stored up, it may be for future 

 ages, the tufa (Plate 12) forming in Knocknarea Glen, was rapidly 

 enclosing some small Helices, Hyalinicz, and Cochlicopa. 



The weather was not good for collecting, much too dry and hot. 

 Even the rain at night did not seem to affect matters. In this respect — 

 dry hot days — we certainly had the Galway and Kerry experiences over 

 again. Many members of the party handed us shells from time to time, 

 and we have to thank Messrs. Gallway, Gunn, Baker, and Foster for 

 nanding over a box of finds almost daily. 



On careful consideration, partly for convenience of reference to almost 

 all Irish lists of past 12 years, we adopt Dr. Scharfif's nomenclature as 

 given in this Journal, vol. i., 1892, We know that Dr. Scharff has for 

 some 3'ears past considered a revision of this advisable, and has the 

 work in hands; but, in the meantime, we prefer to use it rather than the 

 lately published revision of the Conchological Society. The varieties 

 are as given in Adams' Manual, 2nd Edition, 1896. 



