™. 
454 APPENDIX—VITRINA HIBERNICA. 
‘The ground is a cold wet clay, andat occurs amongst the fallen leaves 
of beech and various other trees, and on decaying branches, amongst moss, 
under stones, ete., the moss growing at the roots of grass is also a very 
favourite resort, but in the severe and snowy weather of April 1908 Mr. 
I’. H. Sikes found them nestling at the roots of the sedges, though more 
numerously under the fallen leaves of the beech. 
“tae 
Fic. 521.—The woodlands of the Temple demesne, Collon, Co. Louth, the original locality for 
litrina hibernica, where it is very plentiful (after photo. by Mr. F. H. Sikes). 
It is frequently found associated with Vitrina pellucida, Pyramidula 
rotundata, Hygromia hispida, or Zua lubrica. 
It is a very alert and restless animal, not at all shy, and crawling 
actively about the moment it is touched or exposed to light, and is 
probably the most energetic of the woodland species, progressing an inch 
in fifteen seconds or even less, which is at the rate of a mile in about 
eleven days. ‘The anterior portion of the body is usually only partially 
exserted, yet when the animal is in active movement the body is well 
protruded beyond the mantle margin. 
In captivity it is a great cannibal, and when confined together they 
continually attack, destroy and devour what are probably the sickly or 
weaker individuals. 
The pulse rate of a specimen when in active movement was found to be 
sixty contractions per minute at a temperature of 55° Fahr. 
Geographical Distribution.—Though this species will probably be 
eventually found to be more widely diffused in Ireland than it is at 
present known to be, and may possibly also be discovered in some of the 
nore remote districts of Great Britain, as well as certain parts of the 
European continent, it is as yet only reported from the counties of Louth 
and Meath in the east of Ireland. 
Louth—Abundant within the Temple demesne near Collon, May and Sept. 1904 ! 
P. H. Grierson; (the specimens recorded as Vitrina pellucida var. depressiuscula 
from Collon, Co. Louth, on p. 9 of the present volume are not that form but are the 
type shells of the present species); at roots of grass and herbage, amongst the ruins 
of a cottage between Collon and Monasterboice, May 1909, A. W. Stelfox ; among 
stones on top of a low wall by the Mattock River, Mellifont Abbey, May 1909, 
Rk. Welch; and at roots of grass in Monasterboice graveyard, May 1909, R. Welch, 
A. W. Stelfox, and J. N. Milne. 
Meath—On the south bank of the Mattock River opposite Mellifont Abbey, 
July 1912, R. Welch and A, W. Steltfox. 
