W. G. VanN^ame — Bermxtda Ascidians. 897 



endostA'le) u:<ually reaches only one-quarter or one-third of the dis- 

 tance back from the anterior end, and is often so rudimentary that 

 it is easily overlooked. It is apt to he smaller on the left than on 

 the right side of the body. The eighth fold is generally fairly large 

 and of full length. 



As a rule there are four or five internal longitudinal bars in the 

 spaces between the folds and these are separated by from 5 to 8 

 stigmata. Along one side of a fold, from the base to the summit, 

 there may be a dozen bars (if the fold is a large one), and the num- 

 ber of stigmata between them diminishes from about four near the 

 base to three or two at the summit. The transverse vessels are 

 numerous and rather stout, and the stigmata consequently are not 

 very greatly elongated. There are various sizes of the transverse 

 vessels but apparently no regular scheme in their arrangement. 

 The smallest ones usually cross the stigmata without interrupting 

 them. The larger ones have more or less conspicuous membranes 

 attached to them. 



The intestinal loop is very long and narrow, and the two portions 

 lie in contact with each other for the greater part of the distance. 

 The two dark colored hepatic glands lie close against and partially 

 covering the stomach. 



The reproductive organs consist of about four double clusters of 

 follicles lying along and extending each side of a slender curved 

 duct, which runs toward the atrial aperture. On the left side one 

 group of follicles lies within the bend of the intestinal loo]), the 

 others outside of and dorsal to it and anterior to the rectum. 



Fairly common on the reefs and attached to the under side of 

 stones along the shores. Collected both in 1898 and 1901. 



This S[)ecies is closely allied to the West Indian species M. varie- 

 gatiis Heller, which is also described and figured in Traustedt's (10) 

 work on the West Indian Simple Ascidians. That species has from 8 

 to 10 branchial folds, of which three are short and only reach a part 

 of the distance toward the posterior end of the sac. According to 

 Traustedt's figure, it also has very large si[)hons, but this is a char- 

 acter which varies not only in different individuals, but is largely 

 determined by the state of contraction of the specimen, and would 

 hardly serve to separate the species; while the differences in color 

 are easily exi)lained by the fact that Heller and Traustedt undoubt- 

 edly wrote their descriptions from faded alcoholic specimens. The 

 condition of the branchial folds seems, therefore, to be the chief dis- 

 tinguishing character. I have found this to be practically con- 

 stant in a number of specimens of the present species. 



