ASCIDIA. 23 



of Cynthia g-hifinans* It is similar to specimens dredged by Dr. 

 Packard at " llenlcy Harbor, 6 f. sand." It seems to answer Dr. 

 Stimpson's dcscri[)tion. Should the two species prove identical, 

 Muller's name has priority. 



OcBitis ASCIDIA, Lin. 1758. 



Body sessile, covered with a coriaceous or gelatinous tunic ; 

 branchial orifice eighi^lobed, furnished inside with a circle of ten- 

 tacular filaments, anal orifice six-lobcd ; branchial sac not plicated, 

 the meshes papillated. 



The Ascidi(s are frequently found attached to the under surface 

 of rough stones on the shore at low water in various parts of the 

 world. They are variously and often splendidly colored, but oth- 

 erwise unattractive or even repulsive in aspect. Numljers of them 

 are often fou^d clustering among tangles, like bunches of some 

 strange semi-transparent fruit. 



Ascidia amphora. 



Plate XXIV. Fig. 333. 



Ascidia amphora, Agassiz, Proc. Am. Ass. Adv. Sc. ii. 159 (1850). 



Ascidia rustica, Gould, Invert. 319. — De Kay, N. Y. Moll. 259 ; not of Linn^us. 



The most common of all, confounded hitherto with the Ascidia 

 rustica of Europe. (^Agassiz,^ 



The figure referred to is copied from Mr. Burkhardt's drawing 

 of the original specimens. The following description is from the 

 first edition of the Invcrtebrata : — 



It is found of all sizes, from that of a pea to that of an olive, 

 adhering in clusters to floating timbers, to stones, corals, <fcc. It 

 may always be found in abundance on the under side of logs in 

 the timber-docks about Boston. It is usually of a globular form, 

 but more or less irregular in shape and in the degree of smooth- 

 ness of its surface, and in substance is much like crude india- 

 rubber. It is usually invested with plants or particles of earth, 

 but, when clean, it is rust-colored. It has two small orifices near 

 each other, through which a jet of water is projected, whenever a 

 touch induces the animal to contract. I am not aware that it is 

 in any way injurious to man. 



* C'l/nfhia fihilinana. Tunica flavescente, tenui, suhpcllucifLi, sjlutinosa, arena abducta; 

 oriticiis prominentibus, contignis. Diam. 3.5'". (Mull. Ind. Moll. Gr. 21, 1842.) 



