GASTEROPODA. 
283 
Genus Geomalacus. 
G. maculosus , Allman. 
On moist rocks, County Kerry, Mr. Andrews, 1842. Dr. Allman de- 
scribes it as “ a species of great zoological interest, constituting as it 
does a remarkable link between Arion and Limax. It is an exceedingly 
beautiful animal ; the colour of the shield and upper part of the body is 
black, elegantly spotted with yellow, the under surface of the foot light 
yellow, and divided into three nearly equal bands ; the edge of the foot is 
brown with transverse sulci. It possesses a singular power of elongating 
itself, so as at times to assume the appearance of a worm. By this means 
it can insinuate itself into apertures which we could scarcely conceive it 
possible for it to enter. This curious property indeed was very nearly 
the cause of my losing the specimen from which the description has 
been taken. I had placed the mollusc, as I supposed securely, in a 
botanical box, when to my surprise I found shortly after that it had 
transgressed the limits I had assigned it. 
“ The creature, not liking its confinement, had insinuated itself beneath 
the lid, which, not closing very perfectly, had afforded for its escape a 
fissure of about a line in width. I was fortunately in time to re-capture 
my prisoner, and the knowledge which I had thus gained of his habits 
suggested a stronger prison for the future.” 
Genus Limax. 
L. maximus , Linn. 
This, the common “ large grey slug,” is equally abundant in North and 
South. In the stomach of the Song Thrush ( Turdus musicus) I have 
frequently found the shell of this species, the Limacella parma of Tur- 
ton’s Manual, after the animal of which it had been part had been en- 
tirely dissolved. I have procured similarly the shells of the smaller 
Limaces from the Blackbird ( Turdus Merula). This species is accused 
by Miss M. Ball of making its way into pantries and eating holes in 
bread. 
Rev. B. J. Clarke mentions the following varieties as found in Ireland. 
Yar. A. Drap. and var. B. Ferus., in County Galway. 
Var. I' Ffer™. } Count y Cork ’ Dr ' Bal1 ' 
Var. Y. Drap. and var. Y. Ferus. Queen’s County, and County 
Galway. 
C^e“ ? 1 County Cork, Dr. Ball. 
Annals Nat. Hist., vol. vi. 
L. arbor eus, Bouchard. 
N. of Ireland, on trees. 
Spire Hill Wood, and Emo Park, Queen’s County. 
Monivea Wood; Woods, Dunmore. 
Tuam palace demesne. 
Benvyle, in ruins of a chapel (Clarke, loe. cit.). 
Annahoe, Tyrone, on beech trees, Mr. Waller. 
L.Jlavus, Linn. 
In Dr. R. Ball’s collection are a number of these, which were brought 
