Clare Islatit/ Survey — Land (Did Fresh-waUr Mollusca. 23 51 



J. G. Milne (Journal of Conchology, vi, 412-421) lists six species, all of which 

 are still living in the neighbourhood, although at that time some had 

 not been found alive. It is quite possible that none of the above deposits 

 are of even prehistoric age, for the kitchen-middens at Dugort are still 

 being augmented by the refuse from the native village. I use the word 

 " native " in contradistinction to the newer village known locally as " The 

 Colony." 



The deposit which occurs on Inishbofm, opposite Inishlyon, and close to 

 Carricknamoyla, is of greater interest than any of the foregoing, and seems to 

 be of considerable antiquity. Many sand-dunes may, however, have been 

 formed and been obliterated upon this spot before the present series came into 

 existence ; thus the fact that the lower beds in some cases are within eighteen 

 inches of the underlying Boulder-clay does not help us to determine the age 

 of the deposit. 



In this section, which is clearly divided into strata, I have found the 

 following shells : — 



Section of the deposit on Inishbofin and list of the shells found in it. 



Stratum E. — This bed appeared to be quite recent and to be still forming 

 at the surface. It contained H. nitidula (frequent), H. itala (common), 

 H. barbara (f.), V. pulchella ? l V. costata ? 1 E. hispida (rare), H. nemoralis (r.), 

 G hibrica (f.), and ft bidentata (very rare). 



Stratum D. — Only a local deposit, and was mainly composed of marine 

 shells. Possibly a portion of a kitchen-midden. 



Stratum C.—H. alliaria, H. nitidula, H.pura, P. pygmaeum,P. rotundata, 

 A. aculeata, V. pulchella ? 1 V. costata ? 1 H. hispida, H. nemoralis, C. hibrica, 

 P. anglica, P. cylindracea, P. muscorum, ft bidentata, V. substriata, and 

 ft minimum. 



Stratum B. — Contained H. itala (scattered), ft lubrica (scattered), and 

 P. muscorum (in a distinct zone). 



Stratum A. — This consisted of fine blown sand and appeared to contain no 

 shells. 



Helix aspersa, although the commonest living species in the immediate 

 neighbourhood, did not appear in any part of the deposit. Of P. muscorum, 

 the Valloniae, H. hispida and ft bidentata, found in the deposit, three were not 



1 Vallonia costata was not recognized until I returned to Belfast, and by that time I had mixed the 

 shells that came from the various strata. I cannot be sure, therefore, that both species of Vallonia 

 occurred in Strata C and E. It is quite possible that one may have occnried in C, while the 

 other may only have been taken from E or vice versa. 



G2 



