T

and assemble so many peleas

and the smaller

The keel is inded into susters! the contraction of

~ with postales of soil

L. Sowerbii is common in gardens and shady places in the vicinity of most of the cities and towns of the South; Sandown, Isle of Wight; Norwich; Chester; becoming rare northwards. In Ireland, Cork, Dublin, Youghal, and Galway. It occurs in the South of France and in Spain.

They feed on cabbages and other vegetables, when in a more or less decayed condition, are very destructive to the celery and bulbs under ground. They are foul feeders, and, like other slugs, have a decided liking to animal matter, devouring the dead remains of each other, and not refusing carrion: they have been observed feeding on living smaller ones of their own species.

They lay their eggs in clusters of about a dozen, in the soil, towards the end of the year. The eggs are oval, soft, elastic, two-tenths of an inch and more in breadth, transparent.

They are infested with Philodromus limacum. LIMAX GAGATES—(the Jet-black Slug) (Pl. VI., fig. 36)-is a local species; it is found in several localities in Ireland; plentiful near S. Shields; rare in the South of England; Sandown, Isle of Wi: Tenby; and the Isle of Cumbra, Clyde. es L. Sowerbii in the back being keeled 1 throughout, and in its granulated fers from it in colour, and in t

G

relative proportion of the shield and body. Its general colour is lead-grey, tawny, dark red, or even black, becoming paler towards the sides, and near the margin of the foot almost white. The shield, usually of a darker colour than the body, is oblong, rounded behind, and somewhat truncate in front, much larger than in L. Sowerbii. The respiratory orifice is placed nearer the centre than in that species. When at rest, the strongly carinated back is beautifully arched; it then assumes a more rounded form than any other slug, its height scarcely exceeding its length. It is more than two inches in length when in motion. The slime is colourless, thick, and glutinous. The eggs are transparent and globular, and appear to be deposited during the winter, or at the close of the autumn. It is a shy and retiring species, seldom venturing from its retreat in dusk or during dull weather. Like the others of its race, it is very pernicious and destructive to tender plants.

Limax gagates is a littoral animal; in Great Britain it is attached to the neighbourhood of the sea. On the continent, from the department of Finisterre, in France, it follows the sea borders of Morbihan, Charente-Inférieure, Gironde, &c., passes into Spain and Portugal, and appears on the shores of the Mediterranean in many places in Italy, Sicily, Algeria, Morocco, &c.

GENUS GEOMALACUS.

GEOMALACUS MACULOSUS-(the Spotted Irish Slug) (Pl. VI., fig. 40)-was discovered by Mr. W. Andrews, in 1842, in co. Kerry. This interesting slug-like mollusk is generically allied to Arion, and is a remarkable link between it and Limax. It differs from both in the position of the generative aperture; its shell approaches to that of Limax, is solid, flat, unguiform; the respiratory orifice is placed more anteriorly than in Limax; and it possesses a mucous gland at the extremity of the tail. G. maculosus is an exceedingly beautiful animal; its length when creeping is about two inches; the colour of the whole upper surface is black, elegantly spotted with yellow or white; the under surface of the foot light-yellow, and divided into three nearly equal bands; the margin of the foot is brown, transversely furrowed. Dr. Allman describes it as possessing 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.

The haunts of Geomalacus are thus depicted by its discoverer :—

"Lake Carogh lies to the south of Castlemain

Bay, in the county of Kerry, and stretches nearly north and south five miles. The lake narrows at its centre, where huge cliffs, principally of the Old Red sandstone formation, rise precipitously from the margin on either side. On the east side are those of Oulough. The broad surfaces of the rocks are beautifully pictured with a map-like coating of Lecido and Lecanora, and on those rocks, within a limited circuit, and at a distance of about 50 yards from the water, the Geomalaci, on a misty or showery day, may be noticed quiescently stretched, their richly maculated character being strikingly conspicuous. On the opposite side is the romantic little glen of Limnavar, and on similar rocks, at the same range from the water, Geomalacus is again met with, particularly the white variety, but more sparingly than at Oulough. On no other rocks around the lake or the country are they to be observed."

It is peculiar to the locality given. An allied species occurs in Portugal.

GENUS TESTACELLA.

The above generic appellation is derived from the diminutive of Testa, a shell or covering. The distinctive characters of the genus have already been given at p. 69.

TESTACELLA HALIOTIDEA-(the Ear-shaped Testa