I9I5- Phii^ups. — Molhtsca of South Galway. 



145 



timber, and at the bases of rocks in fields which adjoin the lake- 

 shores, and are liable to winter flooding. I have seen it in similar 

 situations in County Clare, and by a marsh in County Carlow. 



The other form, V. excentrica Sterki, is more widely distributed, 

 occurring at Gort, Ballinasloe, Athenry, Oranniore, Kinvarra, Kil- 

 colgan, and other places. It is usually found under stones and on 

 rocks in dry fields, and on banks and eskers. These two shells are 

 regarded by many conchologists as distinct species, to me they seem 

 to be varieties of one, their difference in shape, which seems to be 

 the character chiefly relied on for separating them, being probably 

 the result of environment. Intermediate forms are frequent, and 

 it is in some cases almost impossible to decide which of the two 

 names should be applied to them. 



V. costata Miill. — Rare and local. Seen only in three localities near 

 Portumna under stones in dry places, and on an esker at Ballinasloe. 

 None of the specimens I have seen approach V. excentrica in form 

 all have the umbilicus open and circular. 



Helix aspersa Miill. — Very common. Abundant by the sea at Oranmore 

 and Kinvarra ; also on eskers and limestone rocks in many places, 

 and in all cultivated and inhabited districts. A colony of var. minor 

 was found assocfated with the same variety of H. nemoralis at 

 Oranmore. Var. conoidea was taken at the same place. It does 

 not vary much in colour, but various modifications of vars. flammea, 

 undulata, fasciata, and nigrescens occur. Native by the sea and on 

 the eskers and limestone crag, but possibly introduced in many of its 

 other habitats. 



H. nemoralis Miill. — This ubiquitous and beautiful species is generally 

 distributed, and, as usual, shows great variation in size, colour, and 

 banding. The most noteworthy forms I have collected are : — Vars. 

 minor, conica, compressa, ciirinozonata, and roseozonata, all at Oran- 

 more. Vars. carnea and albina at Kilmacduagh. Var. undulata 

 at Kilmacduagh, Ballinasloe, and Portumna. Var. albolabiata at 

 Portumna, Woodford, Kilmacduagh, Oranmore, and Coole. Var. 

 luteolabiata at Oranmore, Var. roseolabiata at Oranmore, Wood- 

 ford, Portumna, and Coole. Var. bimarginata at Portumna, 

 Woodford, Oranmore, and Kilmacduagh. A remarkable thin-shelled 

 form, white-lipped, with band-formula 00345 is plentiful in the 

 woods at Woodford. The apparent absence of the dark forms, vars. 

 castanea and olivacea, which I have not seen in the district, is re- 

 markable. 



H. hortensis Miill. — This species, so rare in Ireland except in the east and 

 centre, I have seen only in the neighbourhood of Ballinasloe, where a 

 collection of thirty-seven specimens, all that were to be seen during a 

 search of one hour on a hedge-topped bank on a damp evening, con- 

 sisted of the following varieties : — olivacea, 1 5 specimens ; lutea-coalita 

 (12345), 9 specimens ; lutea 12345, 6 specimens ; lutea 00340, 2 speci- 

 mens ; lutea 00000, 4 specimens ; a.nd. ciiri^iozonata i specimen. At 

 other places in the locality only the type and bandless yellow form 

 were seeru 



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