REPORT OF THE CONCHOLOGICAL BRANCH FOR THE 



SEASON OF 1882. 



To the Council of the Ottawa Field- Xaturalists Club. 



I regret exceedingly that circumstances have for the present caused 

 the withdrawal of my colleague, Mr. Latchford, from active work in the 

 Club; and although much the larger proportion of the work to be 

 recorded was done by, or at the instigation of, that gentleman, the pre- 

 paration of the report from this section falls to my lot. 



During the ])ast season several excursions have l)een organized, 

 and a considerable amount of work accomplished. The number of 

 interesting species noted, however, has been smaller than might have 

 been expected ; nevertheless good series have been collected of forms 

 heretofore considered rare in this locality, such as Unio 2}'>'essus 

 which was found in considerable numbers by Mr. Latchford and Mr. 

 Tyrrell in the Rideau River, by the Rifle Range. Some interesting 

 varietal fcjrms of Goniohasis livescens, Menke, have also been secured. 



The same gentlemen made a very successful excursion to Meech's 

 Lake, in the month of September, when, among other species, good col- 

 lections of Limncea megasonia, Physa Lordi and Anodonia fragilis were 

 obtained. 



The last named species was found to be badly inf( sted with 

 parasitic mites, one of which, found in the gills of the mqjlusc, and as 

 yet undescribed, was remarkable for its extraordinary siz*^, being of the 

 dimensions of a large marrow-fat pea. 



Some nice specimens of Mesodon Sayii, Binney, were found by 

 Mr. Latchford near the Beaver Meadow in Hull, in November ; and 

 another beautiful shell, which has, for the present, been referred to 

 Succinea aurea, Lea, was also disco vei-ed. It is possible, however, 

 that it may only be the young of S. ovalis, Gould. 



A large Limax resembling L. agrestis, Say, was likewise detected 

 in a garden inside the city limits ; but its identity is not certain. 



It is right to mention that a collection of specimens, which has 

 been sent to specialists in the United States, has not yet been returned, 

 and which, when received, will add some new species to our local list. 



Owing to the height of the water in the Ottawa River, the past 

 season has been a very unfavourable one for collecting Unios. 

 2nd February, 1883. PASCAL POIRIER. 



