ScHARFF — On the Slugs of Ireland. b2o 



Thompson (-13) and CLarkc (3) found it common in the North, on the stems of 

 trees after rain. Taylor and Roebuck (42) report its occurrence from Kerry, 

 Watorford, and other counties. Forbes and Hanley (9) state that they found it 

 plentifully on bare rocks at an elevation of above 1500 feet near Connor Cliffs, 

 above Dingle, in Kerry. It is a very common form around Dublin, but it is 

 peculiar to the open country, and not found in gardens. It is seen both on the 

 trunks of trees and among rocks, and under stones. The Rev. A. H. Delap sent 

 me sj)ecimens from the Skelligs Rock agreeing in every respect vv^ith the main- 

 land forms. This is a large bare rock, about ten miles from the coast of 

 Kerry. Neither bush nor tree grows on it, and in westerly winds it is enveloped 

 in a mist of spray, the waves beating over the greater part of it. From the 

 Aran Islands in Galway Bay, which are quite bare and rocky, I have also 

 received specimens, and, no doubt, this species occurs on all the islands along 

 the west coast. 



Food. — According to Lehmann (20) this slug is both carnivorous and herbi- 

 vorous, but Simrotli's (38) experience goes to show that it only touches animal 

 food when driven by stress of hunger. He also states that the spirit is 

 coloured green, not by the chlorophyll of leaves, but by that contained in 

 lichens, and that the latter constitute the real food of L. marginatus. 



This is very much my own experience. My captive specimens refused to touch 

 green leaves or fish, and after four weeks they died from starvation. Although 

 these observations are of some importance in establishing the nature of food which 

 slugs live on, further experiments are needed to decide beyond doubt what the 

 natural food of L. marginatus consists in. Gain (10) states that the specimens 

 which he ke^Dt in captivity would not touch mosses, lichens, or fungi. This may 

 be due to an unsuitable kind of lichen having been chosen, or else that the slugs 

 were, for some reason or other, unwilling to feed at all. 



General Distribution. — Great Britain, and the greater part of continental 

 Europe ; also the islands of Iceland and Sicily. 



Genus II.— Agriolimax. (Malm, 1868.) 



Animal keeled only posteriorly. Mantle concentrically striated, the centre of 

 strife being somewhat to the right of median line. There are no bands, and if 

 sjoots are present they are irregularly scattered over the body. Pulmonary opening 

 behind middle of mantle, and genital pore near tentacles. The intestine has 

 four convolutions, and there is a solid internal shell ; no caudal gland. 



This genus includes some species which used to form part of the genus Limax, 

 and in most modern text-books they are still retained under that denomination. 

 Of course it is much better not to give up an old well-known name too readily ; 

 but a large number of species have been found in recent years in various parts of 



