GASTEROPODA. 287 



H. hortensis, Lister. Gray. 



Although apparently not numerous anywhere, it would seem to be 

 widely distributed in Ireland. To myself it has occurred about Dublin, 

 and at Portrush, along with //. nemoralis and H. hybrida ; has been 

 obtained in the County Donegal ; at Moira and Newcastle, County Down ; 

 King's County ; Kildare ; Tipperary ; and about the city of Cork. As 

 some authors make the white lip and less size the only differences between 

 this species and H. ncmorulis, I was for some time in doubt whether it 

 might not be a small variety of the latter, but was fully satisfied of its 

 distinctness by finding both species plentifully in company at Dovedale 

 (Derbyshire), when every individual in size, &c., maintained the respective 

 chai'acters of its species. The H. hortensis seems partial to limestone 

 districts. 



H. hybrida, Poiret. Gray. 



In July, 1833, I obtained the handsome Helix, so designated by Mr. 

 Gray, on the marine sand-hills at Portrush, near the Giant's Causeway, 

 along with different varieties of If. nemoralis and a very few individuals 

 of H. hortensis. When shown to Mr. Gray in the' following spring, he 

 considered the specimen to be //. hybrida. Judging from the shell alone, 

 I should not be disposed to consider this Helix more than a variety of 

 H. nemoralis. 



H. nemoralis, Linn. 



This Helix, presenting its endless and beautiful varieties in colour and 

 the number and breadth of bands, is more commonly distributed over Ire- 

 land than any other species. When on the extensive rabbit-warren or 

 marine sand-hills at Portrush, on the 10th of July, 1833, I remarked it, 

 together with H. aspersa, H ericetorum, and Bulimus acutus, to be not 

 only abundant but huddled together in heaps ; the animals were alive in 

 all, and of the H. nemoralis several had the apertures closed up. Among 

 the individuals of this species, some were of the white-lipped variety, 

 which has not uncommonly been mistaken for H. hortensis : others had 

 the lip of a rose colour, margined with white (//. hybrida) : the specimens, 

 which were so numerous that every variety of shade in the lip, from white 

 to the darkest brown, could be traced, seem to prove that the colour of 

 the lip no more than that of the shell is of any specific value. The ab- 

 sence of the Thrush genus (not an individual belonging to it could be 

 seen on this occasion), of which some species feed very much on these 

 mollusca, may be one cause of their being permitted to increase and mul- 

 tiply to such an extent. Considerably the largest specimens of H. nemo- 

 ralis that I have collected were obtained in the South Islands of Arran, 

 off" the coast of Clare. This species is generally noticed as inhabiting 

 " woods and hedges," but to myself it has never occurred so abundantly 

 in the vicinity of either Avood or hedge (about which its enemies " most 

 do congregate "), as entirely remote from them ; or among the debris of 

 limestone or chalk cliff's and quarries, and on marine sand-hills. Found 

 on Tory Island l)y Mr. Hyndman, Aug., 1845. 



The Rev. II. Sheppard has observed in Suff"olk that the ]ilain-coloured, 

 the single-banded, and the many-banded, do not mingle with each other 

 in coitu, but that each is true to its banded or bandless mate. (Linn, 



after a few months I coulfl not find one of either species about llie place. See 

 Gray, Man., p. .3.0. 



