the exception of the first named on the list, they have been unwittingly introduced, with plants, garden stuff, etc. In spite of introduced enemies (birds, hedgehogs, etc.) they are extraordinarily abundant now in many parts, and are a great pest in gardens. The following list is compiled by the eminent New Zealand malacologist, the late Mr Henry Suter, and is practically the same as is given in his Manual of New Zealand Mollusca, published in Wellington in 1913 (p. 1071). The classification of Families is that adopted by the Rev. A. H. Cooke in the Cambridge Natural History. Family LIMNEIDÆ Lymnaea stagnalis, Linn. Onehunga Springs, Christchurch, introduced as food for trout in the River Avon (Suter). These were originally introduced from England in 1864 by Mr A. M. Johnson, late of Opawa, who brought them out as food for the fish he was endeavouring to introduce. Suter thinks that the Tasmanian water-snails introduced by Johnson in 1868 were most likely the same species. It is very abundant about Hobart and was described by the Rev. J. E. Tenison Woods as Limnæa tasmanica in Proc. Roy. Soc. of Tasmania. Hutton stated in 1881 that this species was abundant in the River Avon, below the Christchurch Botanical Gardens. It was also recorded before 1890 from springs at Onehunga, near Auckland, and is now known from streams in Taranaki. Lymnæa auricularia, Linn. An empty shell was found near Wanganui (Suter). According to Kew, eggs of this species have passed unharmed through the digestive system of swans. Family TESTACELLIDÆ Testacella maugei, Ferussac Originally described as T. vagans by Hutton who thought it was an indigenous species. Found in gardens in the vicinity of Auckland (Suter). The first specimens obtained were got by Mr W. W. Smith at Ashburton. This "snail-slug" is a native of South-west Europe, and it was first noticed between 1812 and 1816, in Britain. Family LIMACIDÆ Agriolimax lævis, Müller A cosmopolitan slug (Suter). In 1867 Mr Fereday stated that he had seen ten common English slugs on one cabbage in his garden near Christchurch, and he used this as an argument for the introduction of birds, such as thrushes. This was probably the species he referred to. It appears to be common in New Zealand. Agriolimax agrestis, Linn. Common in meadows, fields and gardens (Suter); Auckland, Wellington, Taranaki, Nelson, Greymouth, Christchurch, Dunedin, etc. Suter writing in 1917 says: In 1887 I was living on a ten-acre clearing in the Forty-Mile Bush, surrounded by native bush. This clearing had been laid down in grass about ten years earlier, and was used for feeding horses. Everywhere Agriolimax agrestis was common, but these slugs never penetrated the native bush. They evidently must have been brought to that place with the grass-seed, and no doubt in the egg-stage. In a similar way introduced slugs were brought to Campbell Island. They were, if I am not mistaken, a variety of the common A. agrestis or A. lævis. Musson and Hedley were both of opinion in 1890 that A. lævis was indigenous in Australia; but the latter in 1892 considered that all the species of Limax described as native to Australasia are referable either to L. maximus, flavus, gagates, or agrestis, all believed to be introduced by man from Europe. Limax maximus, Linn. Reported from Dunedin by Captain Hutton, and from Taranaki by Mr W. W. Smith. (In Tasmania this slug is found to be infested with a mite, possibly the same as is found in England under similar circumstances. Mr Hedley says of it: "should it prove to be identical with the parasite attendant on the European mollusc, this fact would argue that the animals migrated in the adult stage, and not in the eggs." He further states that the species of Limax (all introduced) in Australia, have far outstripped their shell-bearing relatives.) Limax flavus, Linn. This species is rather common now, and has been reported from Dunedin, Greymouth and Taranaki. Mr Suter says it is especially injurious to garden vegetables. (Mr Musson thinks it possible that L. megalodontes, described by MM. Quoy and Gaimard in 1824, from Port Jackson, was this species.) Amalia gagates, Draparnaud Reported from Ohaupo and Auckland by Mr Musson, and in Hawke's Bay by Mr Colenso. Mr Suter states that this is a very variable slug and quite a number of varieties can be distinguished. (Mr Musson thinks that Limax maurus, described by MM. Quoy and Gaimard in 1824, from Port Jackson, was this species.) Amalia antipoda, Pfeiffer Amalia emarginata, Hutton All these three species, according to Mr Suter, have to be included in the gagates group, and are found in New Zealand, but he gives no localities for them. Hyalina crystallina, Müller Mr Suter records this species as occurring in Auckland. Hyalina alliaria, Miller In conservatories and hot-houses; Mr Suter does not record any particular locality. Hyalina cellaria, Müller Mr Suter records it as occurring in gardens, meadows, etc., mostly hiding under stones, at the Bay of Islands, Auckland, Napier, and Wanganui. Mr Musson reports it from Auckland "under stones, especially about the various volcanic mounts." Family HELICIDÆ Helix aspersa, Müller According to Mr Suter this species is common at most of the sea-coast towns in New Zealand, where it is a great nuisance in gardens. Writing to me in 1917, he informed me that it was much more abundant in the north than it was at Christchurch, or farther south. Mr Hutchison states that "this common garden snail is greedily devoured by rats at Napier, while the next mentioned species (H. hortensis?), which is also in the gardens, is not appreciated by rats for some reason." A reference to this will be found at p. 83. Thrushes are very fond of this snail, which they carry to some hard surface, where they break the shell with the bill and eat the animal. Mr Musson, writing in 1890, says that examples from Opua in the Bay of Islands are exceptionally thin-shelled, whilst shells from Auckland are of the variety conoidea, thin, small and conical. He also describes this as a most voracious snail, which has been known to perforate birds' eggs for food1. In the Agricultural Department's report for 1897 this species is stated (in conjunction with different species of slugs) to be very destructive to orange- and lemon-trees in the Hokianga district. Captain Broun records that in another district near Auckland he examined a lemon-tree about three years old that had been nearly killed by snails; large pieces of the bark had been eaten away, and even the green wood had been injured. Mr Huddlestone of Nelson states that English snails, introduced along with the plants from Britain, were first seen in the Nelson district in numbers in 1861. These were in all probability either Helix aspersa or H. caperata. Helix hortensis, Müller This snail is apparently widely spread in the North Island. It was recorded from Auckland by Captain Hutton, and from Taranaki by Mr W. W. Smith. I am told that it is abundant at Napier. Snails of the genus Helix seem to be very tenacious of life, a fact which favours their distribution in hay, straw, etc. Kew records cases of H. hortensis which lived for 14 months without food, and of H. aspersa, which survived after being in a closed pot of earth for about ten and a half months, and subsequently produced fertile eggs2. Helicella caperata, Montagu Mr Suter recorded this snail from Nelson in the South Island, and Paekakariki in the North Island. It is probably much more widely spread than these two isolated localities indicated. As showing how readily snails are distributed, it may be mentioned that Kew (p. 161) records a case in England where "thirteen wrinkled-snails (H. caperata), together with a quantity of tares were taken from the stomach of a wood-pigeon which had been shot three days previously. Most of the snails were alive, and began creeping about on being placed in a dish containing a little water.” Helicostyla tricolor, Pfeiffer Mr Suter reports this from a garden in the Bay of Islands. 1 Dr Binney in Terrestrial Air-breathing Mollusks (1851) states that the larger European snails, and particularly Helix aspersa, are sometimes imported into the United States, for use as food by foreign residents. 2 Mr A. Nicols in Acclimatisation of the Salmonida at the Antipodes says (p. 46) that in the 'Mindora' shipment of salmon ova in 1869-"a living snail was found among the moss in which the eggs were packed, and was "acclimated." By which I suppose he means that it was set free. Helicostyla daphnis, Broderip Found at Picton by Mr Kinsey. Helicostyla fulgetrum, Broderip Mr Suter states that "the specimen which was collected by Dr Dieffenbach, and was in the British Museum, is lost." Vallonia excentrica, Sterki Mr Suter gives this species as from Auckland, Mr W. W. Smith reports it from Taranaki. In Mr Musson's list of introduced Mollusca (1890) this species was referred to as Helix pulchella, Müller. His specimens were collected by Mr Cheeseman in Albert Park, Auckland. Family ARIONIDÆ Arion empiricorum, Ferussac Mr Suter reports this as found near Auckland, and at Dunedin. In the former locality Mr Musson states that they were found crawling over the roads after rain. Arion subfuscus, Draparnaud Found at Dunedin by Captain Hutton, who described it as a new species, which he named A. incommodus, but a specimen in the British Museum (also) from Dunedin, showed it to be the cinereofuscus form of A. subfuscus. Arion hortensis, Ferussac Reported as plentiful about Auckland (1890) by Mr Musson, who found it crawling about the roads after rain, along with A. empiricorum. Mr W. W. Smith informs me that it also occurs in Taranaki. Arion minimus, Simroth Mr Suter records this snail from Rangitoto Island. It was also found by Mrs Longstaff at Matihiwi, near Masterton. Family STENOGYRIDÆ Cionella lubrica, Müller Mr Suter reports this species from Auckland. Cæcilianella acicula, Müller This is also recorded from Auckland by Mr Suter. |