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MOLLUSCAN RECORDS FROM GLOUCESTERSHIRE. 



By CHARLES UPTON. 



(Read before the Society, May 13th, ic 



My researches have been made during the past twelve months 

 principally in the neighbourhood of Stroud, and with very few 

 exceptions all the recorded forms have been found in that locality. 

 A more prolonged and extended search would probably result in 

 further additions. 



Stroud district being so singularly rich in mollusca, a few words 

 descriptive of the area may perhaps be useful. The town is situated 

 about midway between the northern and southern extremities of the 

 Cotteswolds, which consist almost entirely of Inferior Oolite lime- 

 stone resting on Lias clays and limestones. The western escarpment 

 of the hills is cut into at frequent intervals by long, narrow, sinuous 

 and much-branched valleys, each having a stream running through it, 

 resulting in a great number of "spurs" of an average elevation of 700 

 to 800 feet. The upper third of the hills is to a large extent covered 

 by beech woods, the valleys being for the most part grass land, whilst 

 between the grass "bottoms" and the tree belt, and also on the hill 

 tops where the trees have disappeared, the land is ploughed. Most 

 of the fields on the hills are separated by dry limestone walls, those 

 in the valleys having hedges and ditches. 



Stroud is situated in one of the valleys alluded to, and through the 

 same valley runs the canal known from Stroud eastwards as "The 

 Thames and Severn Canal," and westwards as " The Stroudwater 

 Navigation." The canal constitutes — for the district — the division 

 between "Gloucestershire East" and "Gloucestershire West." In 

 addition to the canal and the streams, there is a considerable number 

 of mill ponds, cattle and other pools, and natural springs. 



The natural conditions being so favourable, an abundant molluscan 

 fauna would naturally be expected, and such does, in fact, exist. 



With regard to the specimens exhibited the following remarks may 

 be made: — 



Vitrea radiatula (Alder) appears to be very local. I have so far 

 only taken it in one small mossy bog near Elcombe, but it is not 

 uncommon there in association with Zonitoides fiitt'diis, CocJdicopa 

 lubrica, Vallonia piikhella (type), and Carychiuvi minimum. 



Helicella cantiana (Mont.) is also very local, being confined to 

 a very restricted area on the hill side near Pitchcombe, where it is 

 found in hedges, as usual by the roadside and near dwellings. 



