146 MILAX GAGATES. 



Var. pallidissima Pollonera, Boll. Mus. Zool. Torino, April 1891. 



Avialia gagates var. eremiophila Simroth, Nack. Portug.-Azor. Fauna, 1891, pi. 11, f. 3. 



Animal pale grey, sometimes with a lavender tinge. 



This distinct variety, which Simroth under the name of var. eremiophila re^strds 

 as a pale steppe form of Mi/ax gaijates, is not the form described by Bourguignat as 

 Umax eremiophila, wliich in many respects is different, and amongst otlier features 

 is described as possessing a yellow keel. 



Channel Isles — V. pallidissima, St. Sampson's, Guernsey, Sep. 1891 ! B. Toralin. 



Hants S. — Y ax. pallidissima, Christchurch, Jan. 1883 ! C. Ashford. 



Middlesex— Churchyard Bottom wood, Highgate, April 1889 ! H. W. Kew. 



Cardigan — Var. pallidissima, garden, Aberayron, May 1888 ! W. Whitwell. 



Dublin— Var. pallidissinui, Donnylnook, Aug. 1888 ! G. Barrett- Hamilton. 



Portugal — Sub-var. eremiophila Simroth, Lisbon and Abrantes in Estremadura, 

 and in the Algarve (Simroth, op. cit.). 



Malta — Var. pallidissima (Pollonera, op. cit.). 



Var. bicolOP Taylor. 



Animal of a deep red on the sides ; shield and BACK deep biown. 



The var. raymondinna as figured by Simroth (Nacktschn. Portug.-Azor. Fauna, 

 pi. 11, fig. 2) has some relations with this variety, but is very much duller in its 

 colours ; it is considered by some authors as identical with the var. madereiisis of 

 Cockerell. The Limax raymondiana as figured and described by Bourguignat has 

 the sides of a warm ochreous-yellow. 



Channel Isles — St. Sampson's, Guernsey, Sept. 1891 ! B. Tomlin. 



Var. benoiti Less. & Poll., Monog. Limac. Ital., 1882, p. 59, pi. 1, f. 9. 



Animal black, dorsal keel whitish. 



According to the Rev. B. J. Clarke, the keel in the young is invarialily yellow, 

 but gradually assumes during growth the same tint as the dorsum ; the var. benoiti 

 may, tlierefore, be regarded as characterized by the retention to mature life of 

 juvenile coloration. 



Simroth considers the Limax scaptobius Bourg., from Algiers, Portugal, and 

 Gibraltar, as a young form of M. gagates, which has retained the pale keel line. 



Edinburgh — A sub-variety of tliis form with a yellowish keel w.is found at 

 Levenhall, Aug. 1886, by Mr. W. Denison Hoebuck. 



Sicily— Messina (Less. & Poll., op. cit.). 



Geographical Distribution. — In its natural range Mihx gagates 

 appears to be restricted to the Western Paljearctic and Mediterranean 

 regions, and presents many analogies with the area of dispersal of Helix 

 aspersa. 



In the British Isles, M. gagnteg is dispersed more or less interruptedly 

 over the entire area, excepting the northern half of Scotland, from whence 

 it has not as yet been reported. 



In the remote_ oceanic islands and distant countries where the species 

 has been found, its occurrence is probably to be attributed to accidental 

 or unintentional introduction by human agency. 



_ ^^. gagates has been credited by some authors with being a strictly 

 littoral species, but although perhaps more plentiful along the coast, where 

 it is sometimes found living quite within the influence of the sea spray at 

 high tides, it is by no means restricted to such places, but occurs freely 

 inland. 



ENGLAND AND WALES. 



Channel Isles— Guernsey, at St. Martin's, Aug. 1S.-)B (A. M. Norman, Zool., 

 1856, p. 5324) ; St. Peter's Port, 1887 ; and St. Sampson's, Sept. 1891 ! B. Tomlin. 



„ ,, ,„ ,.T PENINSULA. 



Cornwall W.— Not uncommon (E. D. Marquand, Penzance Trans., 188-1). Fal- 

 mouth, Nov. 1901, H. Overton (J. of Mai., IJec. 1901). Garden, Truro Voan Terrace, 

 Truro, J. H. James ! (T. D. A. Cockerell, Sci. CJos.s., May 1886, p. 114). Newouav 

 (A. Belt, Sci. Gciw., Aug. 1893). 



