384 W. G. Van Name — Benmida Ascidians. 



mostly disappears wlien the animal dies, and the dark pigment of the 

 test and vessels usually becomes lighter and of a more jDurple tint. 

 The whole coloration is strongly suggestive of the family Botryl- 

 lidse. 



The zouids taper toward the anterior end, and have the posterior 

 end broad and rounded. They are more or less flattened in a dorso- 

 ventral direction, or somewhat obliquely. The musculature of the 

 mantle is chiefly transverse, but weak and inconspicuous. The ten- 

 tacles are few in number and are probably of two sizes, placed 

 alternately. 



The branchial sac extends practically the whole length of the body 

 and conforms to its shape. The dorsal lamina is a plain membrane. 

 There are four, possibly five, internal longitudinal bars on each side, 

 and four or five stigmata in the meshes of the network thus formed. 

 The transverse vessels appear to be of one size onl}', but the 

 branchial sac is somewhat irregular and the transverse vessels of the 

 two sides do not meet the dorsal lamina exactly opposite each other. 

 There are about 13 or 14 rows of stigmata. 



The stomach and intestine lie on the left side of the branchial sac. 

 The short, curved oesophagus extends ventrally and to the left, and 

 opens into the stomach, which is grooved or folded longitudinally 

 with about ten folds, and lies with its axis directed obliquel}^ for- 

 ward and somewhat ventrally. The cardiac end is the smaller. 

 From the stomach the intestine, which is in this region of large 

 diameter, proceeds forward and dorsally, then posteriorly and finally 

 bends abruptly forward to form the rectum, which is of smaller 

 diameter. The glandular tubes which surround the intestine have 

 large dilated ends. I have not been able to determine that any 

 atrial tentacles are present. The reproductive glands are generally 

 further forward on the left side than on the right. On each side 

 there are two large pyriform testes placed one behind the other, with 

 their small ends together, and the ovary, which was small in all the 

 specimens examined, was situated between or close against the 

 testes. 



The test vessels arise from the posterior part of the ventral side 

 of the zooid. 



This is a moderately common species, and was collected in several 

 places, especiall}^ however, at Coney Island, and AVaterloo on Castle 

 Harbor. It was obtained both in 1898 and 1901, as well as by Prof. 

 Goode in 1876-77, and generally grows on the under side of stones 

 or other solid objects near or below low-water mark. 



