THE ANNALS 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



[THIRD SERIES.] 

 No. 63. MARCH 1863. 



XVIII. — Observations on the British Tunicata, with Descriptions 

 of several new Species. By Joshua Alder. 



[Plate VII.] 



Although much has been done towards the investigation of our 

 marine zoology of late years, few British naturalists have paid 

 any attention to the Tunicata. The unattractive appearance of 

 many of the species, and the difficulty of finding characters to 

 distinguish them, have probably deterred zoologists from under- 

 taking the task. The first objection undoubtedly holds good 

 with respect to most of the simple Ascidians ; but many of the 

 compound species are eminently beautiful and attractive, though 

 the difficulty of discriminating these is even greater than in the 

 more simple forms. Whatever be the cause, it is certain that 

 the study of the British Ascidians has been very much neglected. 

 The interesting account of this class given by Professor Edward 

 Forbes in the ' History of British Mollusca ' is, however, an ex- 

 ception to the general neglect ; and had that distinguished na- 

 turalist lived to fulfil his intention of writing, in conjunction 

 with Prof. Goodsir, a monograph of the British Tunicata, such a 

 work would undoubtedly have left little further to desire. The 

 lamented death of Prof. Forbes has, however, prevented this 

 project being carried out. 



For several years I have incidentally paid a little attention to 

 this tribe, and, having lately had occasion to investigate the sub- 

 ject more closely, I purpose in the present communication to 

 describe such new species as have come under my notice since 

 the publication of the ' British Mollusca/ as well as to illustrate 

 some obscure forms that have previously been imperfectly under- 

 stood. 



Ann. $ Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 3. JW.xi. 11 



