$42 [Proc. B.N.F.C., 



islands were fully explored, and the return journey was as 

 pleasantly accomplished, the interval being fully filled up by 

 the discussion of many interesting subjects of natural history 

 suggested by the surroundings, and practically illustrated by 

 the local knowledge of the boatmen in charge, who freely 

 accepted the naturalists' view on most matters of detail, but 

 would not admit that eels had scales, although the Naturalists 

 gave a microscopical demonstration of the fact. 



The eel-fishing is one of the most important of the local 

 industries at Toome, where eels are taken by the ton during 

 the season, and are sent on by rail to the various markets, 

 chiefly in England. 



The district is one of the very best for the Naturalist in 

 search of freshwater mollusca. On this occasion some fifteen 

 species were collected, including the scavenging Limnea stagnalis 

 and palustris. Some large forms of the bubble snail Physa 

 fontinalis were captured. Of the coil shells, Planorbis 

 marginalus was very abundant. This shell, so like the fossil 

 ammonite in form, has, like that family, the power of exuding 

 a coloured fluid under irritation. 



The mud-loving Pisidium amnicum was plentiful about the 

 roots of plants in muddy bottoms. 



On the shores of the river and at Church Island the 

 beautiful amber shell Succinea elegans was collected, with 

 several other land shells. 



Many of these small and delicate shells are of very ancient 

 lineage, their family history lextending back far beyond the 

 Norman or Roman or Celtic races, for they are recorded in 

 long past geological time. The very abundant occurrence of 

 dead shells in the Bann at Toome, between the county and 

 railway bridges, illustrates the origin of the Purbeck limestone 

 used for the decoration of our finest cathedrals and parish 

 churches. This limestone or marble is almost entirely com- 

 posed of the freshwater shell paludina. The district around 

 Toome is botanically rich, the constituents of its flora being 

 numerous and interesting, especially as regards aquatic and 



