JOURNAL OF CONCHOLOGY. 25 1 



NOTES ON THE DISCOVERY OF LIMN^A 

 GLUTINOSA NEAR HULL. 



By F. W. FIERKE. 



(Read before the Conchological Society, April 2nd, iSgo). 



This highly interesting mollusc was first discovered in 

 Skidby Drain, about a mile from Hull, in the month of 

 September, 1889, by Mr. F. W. Robinson, president of the 

 Hull Scientific Club. Strange to say, it was found on the 

 common bladderwort ( Utricnlaria vulgaris), a plant which had 

 not been previously met with in the locality. Subsequently, 

 the mollusc appeared in great numbers on the mud at the 

 bottom of the drain, wh^re, at a cursory glance, it would have 

 been mistaken for L. peregra ; but no sooner was it taken from 

 its habitat, and placed in the hand, than its viscid properties be- 

 came manifest and disclosed one of the most peculiar character- 

 istics of Z. glutinosa; for the mantle of the animal is often 

 completely turned over the exterior of the shell, producing an 

 effect strikingly different to anything we see among the mol- 

 luscan life of our tarns and ditches. When the shell is not 

 entirely enveloped, a portion of the mantle is still retained over 

 the spire and partially over the body whorl, and it is on such 

 occasions that the colour of the animal, as it appears through 

 the shell, may be determined. It has a yellowish ground with 

 irregular black blotches which enclose about the centre of the 

 body whorl almost circular spots of yellow. At times, the 

 animal appears very gaudily coloured when the yellow takes the 

 bright shiny hue which is particularly noticeable on a sunny day. 



L. glutinosa is evidently a prolific mollusc, as on continuing 

 our researches we found that its distribution, though limited to 

 the drain, was a considerable one, and might extend, as far as 

 we could tell, for miles. The drain takes a westerly course from 



