THE
ESSEX NATURALIST:
BEING THE
Journal of the Essex Field Club
FOR 1888.
PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE LAND AND
FRESH - WATER MOLLUSCA OCCURRING
IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF FELSTEAD,
ESSEX.
By J. FRENCH.
The following is a list of the Land and Fresh-water Shells (exclu-
sive of the Slugs) occurring in this neighbourhood as far as my
observations have extended. It is the result of only two years' work
of one collector, and is therefore necessarily imperfect. As, how-
ever, there is not much probability that I could greatly improve it
by my own unaided efforts, I have sent it for publication in the
Essex Naturalist, leaving others to expand it as to number of
species, and also to catalogue the "varieties" and "aberrations" to
which I have not paid attention. The Slugs have been omitted for
a like reason. The nomenclature is that of the Conchological
Society's "List," 1883.1
Sphaerium corneum, L. River Chelmer ; very common.
Pisidium amnicum, Mull. River Chelmer ; frequent.
Unio pictorum, L. River Chelmer ; frequent
Anodonta cygnea, L, and A. anatina, L. River Chelmer;
common.
Neritina fluviatilis, L. Frequent in a semi-fossil state in the
alluvium of the Chelmer valley; recent specimens are doubtful.
1 Mr, French has very kindly offered to collect a series of the mollusca of Felstead for the
Club's Museum, and in illustration of his list. This is an example which we hope to see largely
imitated by our faunists. Not only would the specimens be of the utmost value as evidence of
the materials upon which the various papers may be founded, but there would be this additional
advantage, that the Club's collections would from time to time receive most interesting additions
of a local and authentic character.—Ed.