28 



STATEMENT by the COMMITTEE 



FOR THE 



Collective Investigation of Phenomena connected with the Variation 

 AND Life-History of British Land and Freshv^ater Mollusca. 



(Read before the Societj', Dec. 12th, 1900). 



The Committee appointed by the Council consists of the following 

 members : — Messrs. J. R. B. Masefield, F. Taylor, R. J. Welch, and 

 A. E. Boycott (Secretary). 



The object of the investigation is to enquire into points liable to 

 general uncertainty and to local or other variation, and into the diffu- 

 sion and dispersal of species, by collecting the results of the individual 

 experience of many naturalists. It is hoped that points of difficulty 

 may thus be elucidated, and data collected relative to the facts and 

 circumstances of variation. A certain small number of subjects for 

 enquiry will each year be selected by the Committee and published in 

 the Journal. The Committee trusts that abundant reports will be 

 received on these subjects. An epitome of such reports will be pub- 

 lished in due course. 



The locality for which each answer is recorded should be carefully 

 mentioned, with, if possible, the number of the district {i.e. Watson's 

 botanical districts, as adopted in the Society's Census of Distribution). 

 Any circumstances of altitude, aspect, temperature, time of year, rain- 

 fall, nature of water, geological formation, vegetation, etc., which may 

 seem desirable should also be given. When the subject admits, 

 numerical expression should, if possible, be given to the returns. 

 The nomenclature used will be that of the Society as contained in 

 their List of British Land and Freshwater Mollusca. The fact that an 

 observation has been already published is no bar to its inclusion in a 

 return ; it is, indeed, important that observations recorded in journals 

 not readily accessible to the general conchological public should be 

 communicated (with careful reference to the place and date of 

 publication). 



The Secretary will be glad to receive suggestions for subjects for 

 enquiry. 



The following five subjects for enquiry have been selected by the 

 Committee for 1901 : — 



I. — Have you in any case found any species or variety of land- 

 snail constantly associated with any particular plant ? 

 IL — How far is the smell of "garlic" constantly associated with 

 Hyalinia alliaria ? Under what circumstances and at what sea- 

 sons of the year is it most noticeable ? Does H. alliaria seem 

 to escape destruction by other organisms more than the rest of 

 the genus ? Is the smell of "garlic" found in other species and 

 under what circumstances ? 



