214 Mr. N. Colgan — Contributions towards a 



L. hancocki, but is unable to follow Garstang in uniting with 

 these the L. marmoratus of Alder and Hancock. He retains 

 this latter as a distinct species (though he hints that it may 

 be merely a colour-variety) ; he unites with it L. jl ividus and 

 refers to it small specimens of a marbled brown Lomanotus 

 found on several occasions at Valentia Harbour, as well as 

 the Plymouth specimens named L. genei by Mr. Gamble in 

 1892 and the two smaller Plymouth specimens found by 

 Mr. Garstang in 18fe9. Having discussed Mr. Garstang's 

 views as to the reduction of the six species of the genus to 

 one, he concludes that there are really two British species — 

 the large pellucid L. portlandicus and the small marbled 

 brown L. marmoratus, with which latter he combines 

 L. jlavidus. But while conceding specific rank to L. marmo- 

 ratus, he abandons as accidental Alder and Hancock's struc- 

 tural character drawn from the form of the sheath- margins, 

 and apparently bases its specific distinction solely on colour 

 and size. As he has not had access to the original descrip- 

 tions of either of the Mediterranean species, L. genei and 

 L. eisigii, he hesitates to combine them positively with one 

 or other of the two British Bpecies which he accepts, and 

 merely suggests that these Italian forms may be placed under 

 L. portlandicus. 



1903. — Mr. G. P. Farran, in a paper on the Nudibran- 

 chiateMolluscsof Ballynakill and Bofin Harbours, Co. Gal way 

 ('Report on the Sea and Inland Fisheries of Ireland for 1901'), 

 records the finding of numerous specimens of Lomanotus in 

 Ballynakill Harbour in 1902. Of a small brown form no less 

 than sixteen specimens were secured, the largest 2 cm. (or, 

 say, f inch) long; of a larger, rich, clear reddish-coloured 

 form two specimens were taken, one 5*5 cm. the other 1 cm. 

 long. All of the specimens, large and small, had dentated 

 sheath-margins and were taken in quite shallow water from 

 1 to 4 fath. Following Mr. Beaumont's lead Mr. Farran 

 refers the two large specimens to L. portlandicus and the 

 numerous smaller specimens to L. marmoratus. 



With these West Galway records this rather lengthy 

 survey of the history of Lomanotus may conclude. It remains 

 only to review the evidence which it offers for or against the 

 existence of six distinct species of the genus, and to state 

 concisely the conclusions which the evidence appears to 

 warrant. 



If we take one of the species as standard, and compare with 



