i6i 



REMARKS UPON 'THE POST-PLIOCENE NON- 

 MARINE MOLLUSCA OF IRELAND.' * 



J. W. TAYLOR, M.Sc. 



In this paper the authors have brought together a very useful 

 series of results, derived from the examination of numerous 

 deposits of Post-Pliocene age, discovered in Caves, Chara-marl 

 deposits, Kitchen-middens, etc., in various parts of Ireland. 

 Eighty-one species of Land and Freshwater shells are listed, 

 of which forty-five are land and thirty-six freshwater species, 

 in addition to several marine and brackish-water species. 



In addition the authors discuss at some length, certain 

 of the problems and difficulties which are not yet entirely solved, 

 as the origin and distribution of the Irish non-marine mollusca, 

 remarks on some of the molluscan genera and species, nomen- 

 clature, etc., terminating the work with a tabular exposition 

 of the geological distribution of the species and a series of 

 seven conclusions embodying the opinions at which they have 

 arrived on the various problems discussed. 



As my workf is very frequently alluded to, criticised and 

 dissented from in its pages, I propose to examine some of the 

 statements and endeavour to ascertain how far the remarks 

 made are justified by the available evidence. 



The first chapter I propose to discuss is entitled ' Remarks 

 on the Genera and Species,' etc., and under the heading of 

 Vitrina Drap. the authors again revert to the consideration of 

 Vitrina pyrenaica Fer., which name they illogically persist in 

 applying to my Vitrina hibernica though I have shown else- 

 where + that they are not identical, and any attempts to confuse 

 the crucial points of the subject are to be deplored, and I again 

 point out that the only and final authority in this matter is 

 Ferussac's own figures, as the statement by Kennard and Wood- 

 ward that Ferussac did describe this species is not correct. 



Also, as no figure nor any information whatever regarding 

 the internal structure of V. pyrenaica Fer. has ever been pub- 

 lished, we are in absolute ignorance thereof, and nothing can 

 be gained by the examination of the anatomy of any specimens 

 named V . pyrenaica by others, unless it can be shown that 

 their shells strictly conform to Ferussac's type figures. 



The species of Vitrina are not well differentiated by their 

 shells, and it is not unlikely that Vitrinca have been found 

 from time to time, which their finders have named V. pyrenaica, 

 but this is of no account, unless the shells really agree with 



* On 'The Post Pliocene Non-Marine Mollusca of Ireland.' A. S. 

 Kennard and B. B. Woodward (Proc. Geologists' Association, 19 17, Vol. 

 XXVIII., Part 3, pp. icg-igo). 



t Monograph of British Land and Fresh-water Mollusca. 



I Op. cit.. Vol. III., pp. 449, et seq. 



1918 May K 



