A LARGE RACE OF CEPJEA NEMORALIS L (AND OTHER 
MOLLUSCA) AT HIGH ALTITUDES IN THE GALTEE MOUNTAINS, 
CO. TIPPERARY SOUTH. 
By A. W. Stelfox. 
The presence of nemoralis at high levels in the mountains of Co. Sligo 
is usually put down to the fact that these mountains are formed of 
Carboniferous Limestone. The Galtees, on the other hand, are composed 
of rocks of Old Red Sandstone and Silurian ages. It was therefore a 
surprise to me, on visiting the Galtees for the first time, in September, 
1943, to find on the Old Red Sandstone cliffs west of Muskry Lough a 
large race of nemoralis , very like that which occurs on some of the Sligo 
mountains. In May-June, 1944, a few similar shells were also taken on the 
cliffs above Lough Diheen — also Old Red Sandstone. These Galtee 
specimens were taken at an altitude of between 1,800 and 2,000 feet, and 
nemoralis no doubt occurs higher than this, as the cliffs rise almost 
unbroken from the tarns to a height of about 2,500 ft. I was not looking 
for mollusca on either of my visits to the Galtees, and I regret that time 
did not permit me to make a thorough search for them. I can therefore 
assure Dr. Comfort, or anyone with an equal store of energy, that the 
Galtees offer quite a likely field for research to anyone interested in these 
large nemoralis. 
Many old, dead, and broken nemoralis were seen at the foot of the cliffs 
above Muskry L., and most of the few living ones seen showed repairs 
from injuries received from being blown off the cliffs or knocked down by 
sheep, which scramble all over them like goats. Those taken above 
L. Diheen were on a shelf not invaded by sheep, had more peace and 
shelter, and were larger and undamaged. Specimens from Muskry L. 
measure about 23 mm. in width by 17 mm. in height ; those from 
L. Diheen 23 to 25 X 20 mm. 
In colour most are, like those from Sligo, reddish and unbanded, and 
many have white lips. One red specimen with band formula 00300 
was taken in 1944, and some fragments of banded shells also seen. 
Other mollusca undoubtedly occur at about 2,000 ft. above Muskry L., 
and a hasty search yielded Columella edentula, Goniodiscus rotundatus , 
Retinella nitidula, and Ancylastrum fluviatile. 
The last was abundant on the wet surface of the cliffs, where it was 
living an almost terrestrial life, but these cliffs face east and north, and 
only get the sun very early in the morning during the height of summer ; 
moreover, I fancy they are very seldom actually dry. Curiously enough 
I failed to find Ancylastrum in Muskry L. itself, though dead shells were 
found in the delta of a small rivulet coming down from the cliffs, but it 
occurred in another of the tarns, L. Borheen, and in the outlet of L. Curra, 
in both cases at about 1,600 feet. The only mollusca seen on the main 
ridge, which in Galtymore reaches an altitude of 3 , o r 8 feet, were Arion 
ater, v. aterrima, and A. subfuscus. Many of the former slug were seen 
eviscerated, presumably either by ravens, rooks, or hoodie crows, but I 
have no proof of this. 
