286 JOtJRNAT, OF CONCHOLOGY, VOT,. II, NO. 9, JANUARY, I905. 



Four specimens of Buccinofusus berniciensis^ which weie with the 

 Vohifopsis, were examined ; two male and two female, each radula 

 was different, and varied in the following way : — 



Centrals. Laterals. Number of Specimens. 



I c?. 

 I ?. 

 I ?. 



I (?• 



Two radulje, also from the North Sea, kindly lent me by Mr. 

 Joseph Wright, of the Hancock Museum, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, were 

 also examined ; they were as follows : — 



Centrals. Laterals. 



I - 8 right, 7 left. 



I - 9 left, 10 right. 



From these numbers this species appears to be exceedingly irregular 

 as to its radula, and it is impossible to say which is the normal form 

 from so few examples. Only one has the laterals the same both sides. 

 As this is one of our rare British shells, it is difficult to get many 

 specimens ; even to find four together is unusual good fortune, 



I have to thank Mr. A. Meek, M.Sc, for providing me with the 

 excellent supply of specimens which enabled me to make these 

 observations. 



Destruction of Potatoes by Slugs.— Whilst staying at Stour Provost, in 

 North Dorset, last September, I was asked to examine a large bed of potatoes, said 

 to be "diseased." The crop which had been dug out the preceding day was a 

 fairly good one, and many of the tubsrs were very large. A large number of the 

 potatoes were studded with holes, large and small, and the skin around the apertures 

 was shrivelled and darkened. That slugs were responsible for the damaged crop 

 was quickly apparent. They had attacked the tubers to such an extent that many 

 were honeycombed throughout, and in section resembled a bath sponge. The slugs 

 were of three species, viz. : Milax sowerbyi, AgrioUmax a^restis, and Arion 

 hortensis, the last being by far^the most abundant. As far as we could judge the 

 potatoes were quite free from the Phytophthora infestans, De Bary. The variety 

 was unknown. Of course, it is well known that slugs will eat potatoes, but I think 

 it is of rare occurrence to find wholesale destruction of a crop in the manner 

 indicated. Many gardeners visiting the Haselmere Educational Museum have 

 remarked to me that slugs have been unusually abundant during the past spring 

 and summer. — E. W. Swanion {Read before the Society, November 9th, 1 904). 



