A DAY ON THK CUOUCH RIVLR. I49 



and other seaweeds. Specific (letermination in this puzzling genus 

 was not attempted. One of tlie hard Esckar-r was noticed, and some 

 fine pieces of " Lemon-weed '' or "Sea-mat" {^Flustra foliacea and 

 the more delicate F. papyrncea), were brought up. These animal 

 colonies being flat and frond-like, are invariably taken for sea-weeds 

 by the 61 ttuXXoi, but the use of a lens soon dispels this idea and 

 shows the numerous closely-clustered cells, each inhabited by its own 

 Polypide. Gosse calculated that in F. foliacea there were 13,440 cells 

 to the square inch. For figure, see his "Tenby," pi. x. Although 

 here called " Lemon-weed," the scent is little like that of a lemon, 

 but more resembles verbena or pine-apple. Alcyonidiiim gelatinosum^ 

 somewhat resembling sticks of barley-sugar, occurred, but in nothing 

 like the abundance we found it in the Orwell (E. N. iv. 170). 

 Membranipora pilosa was common, matting together several Sea- 

 weeds {Algcp) and Sertularians. 



The somewhat repulsive looking Ascidians or sea-squirts, whose 

 local name need not be given, were in the greatest abundance. They 

 bear considerable resemblance to oriental and ancient wine-skins, 

 whence their scientific name. They were mostly the common 

 Ascidia virginea and were of all sizes and forms consistent with the 

 species, and were attached to everything in the shape of a stone or 

 shell, often in bunches. Alolgida ociilata was found sparingly 

 towards the mouth of the river opposite Hollywell, looking like little 

 bullets of sand ; they were quite indistinguishable until they were 

 touched. 'I'he currant-squirter, Cynthia {Styela) grossularta, looking 

 like a small pink or brick-red sea-anemone when closed, was 

 particularly abundant on the shells of the oyster. It is locally 

 termed "pock" ; when squeezed these smell much like cucumber. 

 The life-history of these Ascidians or Tunicata affords an excellent 

 example of ancestral degeneration ; they all have a free-swimming 

 fish-like larva. 



Now coming to the MoUusca. We found Pholas Candida^ alive, 

 boring into chalk nodules that were dredged up. These had 

 probably been used originally to face the sea-walls, some of the 

 lumps had been completely riddled by this animal. The soft, 

 wet chalk was easily split or cut through with the cull-tack and so 

 the thin and extremely brittle shell could be easily obtained 

 perfect ; many living specimens were found. One or two dead and 



I When at Hurnham on 14th P'ebri:ary last, Mr. Crouch got a fine living specimen of Pholas 

 cris/>ata.^ Shell 3 inches long by ij inches broad. The animal with syphons measured almoit 

 exactly six inches. 



