ScHARFF — On the Slugs of Ireland. 517 



of mantle. Reproductive pore near base of upper tentacles. There is a solid 

 internal shell, and the intestine has six convolutions. 



In this genus the body is elongated and often strongly keeled posteriorly. The 

 lateral bands are always present in the Irish species, both on the mantle and body; 

 but they may become obscured by being broken up into spots [L. flavus), or by the 

 general body colour in the adult becoming black throughout. There is no caudal 

 gland. The pulmonary opening is always situated behind a line drawn across 

 the middle of the mantle. The skin externally is wrinkled, but the wrinkles never 

 are so prominent as they are in the genus Avion; they are more pronounced, 

 however, than in Agriolimax and Amalia, where the skin is almost smooth, 

 especially in the latter. 



There are invariably six convolutions of the intestine, sometimes with an 

 additional ccecum. The genital opening is just behind the tentacles, and there is 

 a solid internal shell. 



There are three anatomically well-defined species of Limax in Ireland : one of 

 them, viz. Limax marginatus (= arborum, Bouch), differs so much in the structure, 

 of the reproductive organs, as well as in that of the radula, that a separate genus 

 was proposed for it by Heynemann. Simroth (38) was the first to suggest that 

 Limax variegatus (=flavus) should be united to this new genus Lehmannia, as 

 both possess a coecum to the intestine. But although they have this much in 

 common, the reproductive organs in the two species are not so very similar as to 

 make it desirable to unite them. I think that if any division of the genus Limax 

 is made, Limax marginatus {= arborum) and L. variegatus {=flavus) should be placed 

 in separate genera. The presence of a flagellum in the reproductive organs of 

 Limax marginatus (= arborum) also shows some affinity to the genus Agriolimax. 



Synopsis of the Irish Species of Limax. 



I. — Mantle with dark spots on light ground, or uniformly dark = L. maximus. 

 II. — Mantle with light spots on darker ground = L. flavus. 

 III. — Mantle with two lateral dark bands = L. marginatus. 



Limax maximus, L. 



Limax maximus. Linn^, 8yst. Nat. 1758. Limax antiquorum, F^russac, Hist. 

 Moll. 1819. Limax maximus. Jeffreys, British Conch. 1862. 



(Plate LVL, figs. 1 and 2.) 



Colour of body generally a reddish-gray, with dark lateral bands on body, con- 

 tinued to the posterior third of mantle, the remainder of which is spotted. Tentacles 

 long; a faint black line runs along outer margin of foot. Intestine without a coecum. 



