3o8 JOURNAL OF CONCHOLOGY, VOL. 10, NO. lO, APRIL, I903. 



As may be inferred from Clessin's remarks, the resemblance to 

 V. pygmcea is somewhat superficial and it is with V. alpestris that its 

 true affinities lie. Placed side by side with a typical V. alpestris it 

 differs in possessing an extra whorl and larger dimensions every way, 

 in its reddish-brown colour, in its feebler dentition, and in the shape 

 of the mouth, the outer margin of which slopes very obliquely from 

 right to left, thus producing the sort of channel at the top to which 

 Clessin refers. It is, of course, impossible to dogmatise over such 

 scanty material, but the opinion is well-nigh unanimous among British 

 conchologists who have seen it that the specimen here referred to 

 V. heldi is entitled to specific rank. 



[Since this was written Mr. B. B. Woodward has called attention to 

 the fact that V. heldi is said to be striated, whereas my specimen, 

 under a one-inch objective, is seen to be smooth and glassy. It is, 

 therefore, not at all certain that the reference to V. heldi is corect, 

 but for the present it seems best to let it stand under that name. — 

 March 17th, ipoj]. 



Report on the Bardsley Ramble. — Bardsley, the district chosen for the 

 ramble, is well known to most Manchester conchologists, and was, some 3'ears ago, 

 a favourite collecting ground ; but during more recent years has been somewhat 

 neglected by them, and the investigations carried on by members living in the 

 neighbouring towns of Ashton-under-Lyne and Oldham, between which towns the 

 district lies. The natural beauty of the locality is fast disappearing, the sides of the 

 main valley, once well clothed with trees and herbage, are almost denuded, but 

 where the herbage still lingers a few nice shells may be taken. Holden Clough, 

 which branches oft the main valley near Bardsley Bridge, is the best wooded part, 

 and in the wet places there, molluscan life is abundant. The ponds and canal are 

 still very prolific, although the canal fauna is subject to fluctuations, species being 

 very abundant in some years, and then almost absent at other times. The ramble 

 took place on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 13th; the weather during the week had 

 been cold and wet, but had much improved during Saturday morning, although rain 

 still threatened. A pond near the station a few years ago swarmed with Limmm 

 pahist7-is, but now this species has disappeared, L. stagnalis having taken its place. 

 Another pond, which once yielded albino Planorbis corneus, was now in such bad 

 condition, and the shells so badly eroded and encrusted with black dirt, that it was 

 difficult to pick out the albinos, of which only five examples were taken. Holden 

 Clough yielded Hyalinia nitida, Hy. fulva, Hy. crystallina, Cochlicopa liibrica. 

 Vertigo substriata, CarycJiiuni miniiiutin, etc. {H. pygj/ic?a occnxs there, but on 

 this occasion was not taken). The little wood below the canal was very productive, 

 Hyalinia excavata type and var. vitriiia were found ; in one small spot the type 

 occurs in hundreds, and not a single specimen of the variety has ever been taken 

 there, although a little further down the stream both fornis occur together in abbiit 

 equal numbers ; other species of Hyalinia were taken in the wood, also Pupa 

 cylindracea, Cochiiiopa htbrica var. lubricoides. Helix rotundata, etc. In the lower 

 canal that passes through Droylsden, we found Paluaestrina jenkinsi still flourishing ; 

 at each sweep of the scoop hundreds were brought up, both of the typic'al and the 

 crested variety. — Fred Taylor {Read before the Society, Nov. 12, 1902). 



