JOURNAL OF CONCHOLOGY. 3^5 



or always present ; while in Helix virgata and others the pro- 

 cess would appear to be still in active operation. Of course, 

 before coming to any definite conclusion on this head, it would 

 be necessary to make a careful study of the foreign species. 

 Meanwhile the opinions of more experienced conchologists 

 would be of interest. 



New Varieties of Limax arborum and Arion 

 ater. — During the past year I have been indebted to my friend, 

 Mr. F. de Vismes Kane, M.A., M.R.I.A., of Dublin, for 

 numerous consignments of slugs from various parts of Ireland, 

 which have been of the greatest possible interest. A report on 

 them will be submitted, through him, to the Royal Irish 

 Academy. But here it will be well to characterize two forms 

 which appear to be very distinct from anything hitherto 

 described. The first is a form of Limax arbonon from 

 Enniscoe Demesne, near Crossmolina, West Mayo, sent to me 

 on the 29th of September, and which I propose to call 



Limax arborum var. macuiata. 



This variety has the ground colour as in the typical form of the 

 species, with the markings reduced to small and sharply-defined 

 black spots of rounded or elongated form, and a thin con- 

 tinuous longitudinal band on each side, which shows a tendency 

 to break up into spots. The nebulous or cloudy markings of 

 L. arborum are, in this case, entirely replaced by the black spots. 

 This variety was accompanied by others of the species, includ- 

 ing typical specimens and examples of vars. bettonii and 

 nemorosa ; the consignment further included numerous other 

 slugs. The second new variety which I have to bring forward 

 is one which I propose to call 



Arion ater var. reticulata. 



In this the animal has the rugosities very pale dirty yellow or 

 nearly white and the interstices between them grey, giving the 



