Field meeting at Leith Hill, June 1964

Director: D. G. Pickrell

Leith Hill consists of an escarpment of the Hythe Sandstone which dips gently to the north, the soil being neutral to acid.

A small party and one fly-eating dog assembled at Dorking North station and proceeded by 'bus to Abinger. In the woods between Abinger and Friday Street the following species were found in a pile of logs: Discus rotundatus, Arion intermedius, A. subfuscus, A. circumscriptus, A. hortensis and A. ater (agg.) - jumped on by previously mentioned fly-eating dog - Euconulus fulvus, Oxychilus alliarius, a small Limax maximus and many Limax tenellus*** also Clausilia bidentata under a gate post.

The party then moved on to the lower pond at Friday Street finding Planorbis albus, Pisidium nitidum and one P. obtusale. In a small stream between upper and lower ponds was Anc.ylus fluviatalis. By the stream in the garden of a derelict house were found Agriolimax reticulosa, Cochlicopa lubrica, Hygromia hispida, Cepea hortensis, Limax maximus. Helix aspersa.

After lunch, in the vicinity of the upper pond Oxychilus cellarius0. alliarius, Retinella nitidula and Hygromia strialata were found. In the upper pond itself Lymnaea peregra, Planorbarius corneus, Planorbis albus, Spharium corneus were collected.

The ponds at Wotton Park were visited but were found to be far too acid for any mollusca.

The party walked to the top of Leith Hill for tea, after which we descended to Coldharbour visiting an old chert quarry where Arion intermedius was obtained. At Coldharbour on a rubbish tip Discus rotundatus, Vitrina paliusida and also Limax cinero-niger*** were found. The party then returned by 'bus to Dorking.

Altogether 29 species were noted.

***Proc. Malac. Soc., Vol. 22, p.2.