312 JOURNAL OK CONCHOLOGY, VOL. ID, NO. lO, APRIL, I903. 



Clausilia bidentata and Balea perversa in Ireland. — Clausilia bidentata 

 occurs plentifully in Ireland on stone walls, stone heaps, and on the rocky debris 

 of the many glens on the coast. It swarms on old churches such as Downpatrick 

 Cathedral and old ruins like Dunluce Castle, Rock of Cashel or Clonmacnoise, 

 where it shelters in the crevices between the stones. It is common on tombstones 

 in old graveyards in N.E. and N.W. Ireland, is very plentiful, and rather 

 small, in similar situations in Co. Sligo and other western counties. It may be 

 found on trees all over the country, in some places associated with Balea perversa, 

 in others not. Baha perversa is not so common and is more local in Ireland than 

 C. bidentata; it occurs on mossy trees, especially in the older woods and natural 

 thickets of the damp glens — like those of Antrim, Sligo and Kerry. It is plentiful 

 with the other in the little coast glens E. and W. of Ballycastle, Co. Antrim, as a 

 rule on trees, but sheltering more in moss on tree trunks than C. bidentata (see this 

 /ournal, vol. 7, p. 20I, 1893). At the head of Murlough Bay in wet weather Balea 

 is more plentiful on a dry-built stone wall than anywhere else I have seen it in 

 Ireland, more so even than in Kerry where it is, owing to the abundance of woods, 

 a much commoner species than in North Ireland; here I did not notice Clausilia, 

 though the latter is exceedingly plentiful a few feet lower down the slope. At 

 Dromahair, Co. Leitrim, Messrs. Chaster, Collier and I found Clausilia on the inner 

 and outer walls of Dromahair Abbey, but on a dry-built limestone wall surrounding 

 the Abbey Balea was much more plentiful than Clausilia ; it was here quite thick 

 under flat stones mainly on top of wall. At Dundrum Castle, Co. Down, Clausilia 

 was moderately common in stone debris and on walls ; but Balea only so on a dyke 

 in the lane below the castle and a few on trees. In about six or eight other 

 localities where I have observed both species together in the north they were living 

 close together, Balea on trees, Clausilia on or among rocks and trees. County 

 Kerry seems to be the real home in Ireland of Balea, which occurs on trees with 

 Clausilia, and also on dykes and rock surfaces all over the Killarney and Kenmare 

 districts, even up to 600 ft. altitude. This is mainly an Old Red Sandstone area, though 

 I think it is not so much the geological formation as presence of trees or damp shelter 

 of some kind that regulates the abundance of these two species and their association 

 together. Trees and such situations are, on the whole, more plentiful in limestone 

 areas in Ireland and Balea is for that reason, being an arboreal species, more plentiful 

 in such situations, and Clausilia, being a common species in damp, and often in dry, 

 situations all over Ireland is of necessity associated with the other. Balea is how- 

 ever, as I have said more local, and absent in many places devoid of trees, while 

 Clausilia is common on walls and rocks ; but where trees are plentiful and old, 

 the two species will be found together. — R. Welch [Read before the Society, 

 Dec. 10, 1902). 



Occurrence of Vertigo alpestris at Holker, Lanes. — On the 4th of 

 September, 1902, whilst examining old walls, etc., for shells at Holker, near 

 Cartmell, Morecambe Bay, I discovered some specimens of Vertigo, which have 

 since been identified by Mr. Standen as V. alpestris. September 3rd had been a 

 very wet and stormy day and the morning of the 4th was also somewhat damp. 

 The shells, though not quite so large, are much more perfect specimens than those 

 from Bingley, exhibited by Mr. Taylor in January, 1902. This I believe is the first 

 really authenticated find of V. alpestris in the district, and as the Furness district 

 is separated by a wide estuary from Holker and Cartmell, it is not very probable 

 for them to be stray specimens from the other side of the water. The number 

 [_taken was eighteen. On March 4th, 1903, I revisited the spot (along with Messrs. 

 Taylor and Wadsworth) and 51 others were taken. — C. H. Moore, Stalybridge 

 (^Read before the Society, February li, 1903). 



