282 
MOLLUSCA. 
Family Limacid.e. 
Germs Arion. 
A. ater , Linn. 
La Bergerie, Queen’s County ; County Galway ; Finnoe, County Tippe- 
rary, Mr. Waller. Too abundant in both places, varying from the light 
yellow-coloured variety through all the shades of brown or ochre to deep 
black. The brown variety seems to predominate in Killereran (County 
Galway) meadows and woods, but I have repeatedly observed the two 
colours indiscriminately mixed together in precisely the same localities, 
both in fields and gardens. The yellow, which I have never taken of the 
full size, is mostly confined to the decaying pieces of wood found among 
damp moss. I have not noticed the variety with the scarlet foot, as in 
fig. 2, tom. ii. Fer. Specimens brought alive, by Dr. Ball, from the circular 
road, Dublin ( Aug . 12), and taken within a few yards, were black, with 
black keel,— greyish-black, or rather blackish-grey, with orange-brown 
keel, — fawn-coloured grey, with brownish-orange keel, — head and tenta- 
cula blackish, very pale greyish- white, with orange keel,; — head and tenta- 
cula blackish : a very handsome animal. 
I have seen two individuals busily engaged devouring a snail (. H . 
aspersa), both their heads being introduced within the shell : the snail 
appeared to be fresh killed. 
A. hortensis, Fer. 
La Bergerie and County Galway. By no means scarce. Ferussac’s 
figures agree accurately with mine, but are represented of larger dimen- 
sions than any I have seen. I have taken the young of a very minute 
size with the orange foot, and the colours equally as deep as in adult in- 
dividuals. Yar. a. f. 6, Ferus., is not more abundant here than the 
orange-footed one, which I have never succeeded in finding at Killereran, 
where the variety is common in violet-beds. The following from Ferussac 
agrees curiously with my habitat: “Elle se cache le jour sous les tiges 
de violettes de fraisiers et des autres plantes touffues.” Mr. Alder re- 
marks of the variety, “ The variety only, if such it be, has yet been no- 
ticed in this country.” I have never discovered even the rudiment of a 
shell in any of them. Finnoe, Tipperary ; and Annahoe, Tyrone ; Mr. 
N. B. I have before me at present an Arion, found along with A. hor- 
tensis, var. (3 . Pfeiff. The only character it possesses in common with it 
is, in the position of a yellow-coloured fascia running round the body, 
which is of a dusky brown, the sides greenish-yellow, the fascia becoming 
indistinct on the shield. It differs materially in colour from any variety 
of the A. ater I have met with ; and what might characterize it as belong- 
ing to this species is the shape and colour of the tentacles and head, the 
former being much more elongated than in A. hortensis, and of a shining 
black colour. The edge or side of the foot is likewise similar to A. ater, 
being greenish-yellow, marked with the peculiar transverse black lines. 
Its mucus is yellow-coloured, whereas that of A. ater is whitish, or 
colourless. Since writing the above, I have obtained a second specimen, 
similar in every respect to the former, except the fascia, which is not so 
distinct. 
