330 THE ASCIDIANS. CHAT. xvi. 



Without following Edward farther in hi* descrip- 

 tion of the Zoophytes, we may proceed to state that 

 he was for some time engaged in collecting Molluscs 

 for Mr. Alder of Newcastle, who was engaged in 

 writing a paper on the subject. Having observed 

 the great number of Tunicata, or acephalous Mol- 

 luscs, found upon the fishermen's lines, Edward pro- 

 ceeded to collect and examine these lower produc- 

 tions of marine life. As usual, he wished to have 

 them named, and he sent a large number of specimens 

 to Mr. Alder for the purpose. Some of Mr. Alder's 

 letters have been preserved, from which a few extracts 

 are subjoined : 



"I have received yours of the 16th inst. (October 

 1864), and also two parcels of Asciclians. I shall be 

 most happy to receive and name for you any Tunicata 

 you may send. Our communications may be mutu- 

 ally advantageous, as I should like to have informa- 

 tion concerning the Tunicata of your coast, being 

 engaged upon a work on the British species. In the 

 first parcel that came, I could only find one specimen, 

 though you mention parts of two or three. It was, I 

 think, a Botryllida encrusting the stem of a seaweed, 

 but of what species I cannot say. In the second par- 

 cel, received this morning, there is apiece viLeptoclinum 

 punctatum, and also part of an Ascidian which appears 

 to be A. paralldogramma. The Botryllida are very 

 difficult to distinguish unless they are quite fresh. I 

 have never heard of Aplidium lobatum being found 



