138 A HANDBOOK FOR SOUTHPORT. 



dead and eroded than living. The shell is about a quar- 

 ter of an inch high, cylindrical oblong, reddish brown, 

 very bright and glossy. 



Sucdnea putris (Common Amber-shell). Rather abundant in 

 a small watercourse on the Birkdale sandhills, half a mile 

 beyond the church, and under the bridge by the boundary 

 stone, on the Scarisbrick-road. 



Physa fontinalis (Stream Bubble-shell). Rather plentiful in 

 the " river Nile," and in the streams on the Moss. The 

 mouth of this shell opens to the left hand, by which 

 characteristic it is easily recognised; it is very thin, trans- 

 parent, brown, and highly polished. 



Physa hypnorum (Slender Bubble-shell). In the same locali- 

 ties as the above, but not quite so frequently. It has the 

 same characteristics, with the exception of being longer 

 and narrower in proportion. 



Planorbis albus (White Coil-shell). Moderately common in 

 the stream by the first bridge on the Martin Mere road ; 

 dark coloured, finely striated, concave underneath, slightly 

 so above ; the outside coil rapidly enlarging. 



Planorbis vortex (Whorl Coil-shell). Common in many ditches 

 and stagnant pools ; a thin light-brown shell, with six or 

 seven volutions, about three-eighths of an inch in dia- 

 meter, flat above, and slightly concave beneath. 



Planorbis spirorbis (Rolled Coil-shell). Found with P. vortex, 

 but not so commonly. Light brown, slightly concave 

 on both sides, with six volutions. 



Planorbis nautileus. A good specimen found in a ditch in 

 Birkdale. 



