UMAX TENELLUS and ANODONTA CYQNEA, Var, 

 INCRASSATA, IN SCOTLAND. 



By John Conacher, Jun. 



While searching for shells in the hedge bottoms near Irvine, in 

 Ayrshire, last month, I was astonished at the great numbers of a 

 yellow slug that I had never seen before, and not having any book of 

 reference at hand, there was no chance of making out the species. 

 Mr. J. Whitwam having joined me shortly after, we had a joint 

 inspection of the animal, and he (Mr. Whitwam j felt convinced that 

 it was Limax tenelliis. In the meantime I collected about a dozen for 

 future reference and examination, and on returning home took the 

 first opportunity of comparing it with the plate in Forbes and Hanley's 



British Mollusca," and the comparison fully confirmed Mr. Whit- 

 wam's judgment in the matter. The colour of the animal is, as 

 already mentioned, yellow, and I found to my sorrow that it is not a 

 fast colour, but only a yellow mucus thrown off by the animal ; but it 

 cannot be for the purpose of avoiding detection, as it only causes the 

 animal to be the more easily seen. Having put those I had collected 

 in spirits, the yellow matter was soon dissolved, and the animal was 

 left a dirty bluish colour. I have also examined the shield with the 

 microscope, and have not the slightest doubt that it is Limax 

 tenellus. When Forbes and Hanley's work was published, there had 

 only been one found in the British Isles ; so that Jeffreys, 

 when compiling his work on " British Conchology," did not give it a 

 place amongst British species. At the same time he quotes what 

 Forbes and Hanley had said on the matter, but in his supplement to 

 the above work he gives it a place as a British species, and gives 

 North Mauvine, Shetland, as the locality where it may be found, only- 

 he does not say whether it is rare or plentiful. It appears so far to 

 be entirely a northern species, the first one having been found in 

 Northumberland ; there is no record of any having been found in the 

 southern or midland counties ; but it is just possible it may turn up 

 in many places, both north and south, as there are very few who care 

 to collect that genus, and the consequence is they are overlooked. I 

 have just to add that we observed Limax tenellus also in the island of 

 Bute, near Rothesay. 



K S., Vol. hi., July, 1878. 



