298 LIVERPOOL MARINE BIOLOGY COMMITTEE REPORT. 



previously recorded from the neighbourhood of Liverpool ; 

 but Forbes mentions having found it rarely on the Laxey 

 Bank, Isle of Man. It is a very common species further 

 north, on the west coast, in the Clyde district. 



Ascidia mentula, 0. F. Miiller. 

 Forbes (Malacologia Monensis, p. 58) records this large 

 species as being found o£f the north coast of the Isle of Man. 



Ascidia virginea, 0. F. Miiller. 



This common species is the Ascidia sordida of Alder 

 and Hancock, and other British authors.* It is recorded by 

 Byerley under that name, as having been found occasionally 

 at Hilbre and dredged in the neighbourhood rarely ; and it 

 has been dredged by Edward Forbes off the Manx coast, from 

 a depth of twenty fathoms. 



Two large specimens were obtained during the cruise of 

 the " Hyaena," on May 24th, in the Menai Straits opposite 

 Bangor, depth ten fathoms. They are attached to a dead 

 shell, and have rather thin and flaccid tests, giving them 

 somewhat the appearance of Ciona intestinalis in the re- 

 tracted condition. 



One of the specimens is noteworthy on account of one of 

 its long slender tentacles being bifurcated at the end. In 

 most other respects, the specimens are normal. The dorsal 

 lamina, however, is rather more distinctly toothed upon the 

 free margin than is usual in the species. 



Two smaller specimens (9 mm. and 12 mm. respectively), 

 with more of the ordinary appearance and strength of test, 

 were dredged along with those above described. They are 

 young animals. The larger of them had a specimen of 

 Modiolaria marmorataf 3 mm. in length, imbedded in its 

 test on the right side of the body. 



* For the synonomy of the species, see Herdman, " Notes on British 

 Tunicata," Journ. Linn. Soc, Zool., vol. xv, p. 279. 



