A HISTORY OF ESSEX 





20. Anguinella palmetto, V. Ben. 

 Common ; Dovercourt, Orwell (Harmer). 



21. Valkcria uva (var. cuicuta). 

 Harwich (G. P. Hope). 



22. Pedicel Una cernua, Pallas. 

 Brightlingsea. 



X. ECHINODERMATA 



1. Echinus mi/iarii, Linn. 



This is extremely abundant in Harwich 

 harbour, and less so in the open water off 

 Mersea. 



2. So/aster pappasus (Fabr.). 



Fairly common at all the places I have 

 examined. Though some specimens are of a 

 fine red colour, there is considerable variation, 

 due to the varying amount of several different 

 pigments. 



3. Asterias rubens, Linn. 



This is common all along the coast, and 

 dredged in large quantities for manure. 



4. Ophiura ciliaris, Linn. 



Extremely abundant in the open water 

 near the mouth of the Colne, and common in 

 many other localities. 



5. Ophiothrix jragilis (O. F. Mailer). 



This is fairly common in Harwich har- 

 bour, though it cannot be said to be abun- 

 dant. 



6. Synapta inherent, O. F. Muller. 



I do not remember ever finding this in 

 Essex, but at one time it was common in a 

 restricted area in the Orwell, a few miles 

 outside the county. 



7. Ciuumaria, sp. (?) 



At one time a Holothurian, something like 

 a Cucumaria, was fairly common in the Stour 

 off Parkeston, but lately I have dredged for it 

 in vain. Unfortunately all my early speci- 

 mens seem to have been destroyed, and only 

 the tentacles and digestive organs preserved, 

 mounted as a lantern slide. This may be an 

 abnormal specimen, since it shows only eight 

 tentacles, which are of dark brown colour, 

 and until other specimens have been found 

 identification is impossible. 



8. Thyme fisus, O. F. Mflller. 



Many years ago I dredged this in Harwich 

 harbour, and lately in the Orwell, but in each 

 case only one specimen. 



XI. TUNICATA (Sea-squirts) 



1. Styelopsis grossulariay Van Beneden. 



This flesh-coloured ascidian is very common 

 all along the coast and in the estuaries, 

 attached to stones, shells and algae. 



2. Polycarpa cantata, Alder. 



Small specimens occur in the Stour, and 

 larger in the creek east of Walton-on-Naze, 

 often so covered with attached sand as to 

 look like a ball of hardened sand. 



3. Polycarpa pomaria, Savigny. 



Much less common than the other species. 



4. Aiddiella aspersa, O. F. Muller. 



5. Ascidiella virginea, O. F. Muller. 



These two species occur in greater or less 

 abundance all along the coast, and in the 

 estuaries ; in some cases fixed objects being 

 covered by them. 



6. Ascidia plebeia, Alder. 



Found in the Stour near Harwich, but not 

 common. 



7. Atcidia producta, Hancock. 



Fairly common in some parts of the Colne, 

 often much attached along its side to algse. 



8. Clona intestinalis, Linn. 



Though less abundant than the above 

 named Ascidia, this is also common all along 

 the coast. 



9. C/ave/ina lepadifirmis, O. F. Muller. 

 This occurs in bunches of many individuals 



on the east bank of the Colne below Bright- 

 lingsea and at Walton-on-Naze. 



Compound ascidians. These are sometimes 

 difficult to preserve for future identification. 

 Much remains to be learned about their 

 colouring matters. 



10. Botryllus, spp. 



Specimens of this genus are common along 

 the coast. The exact species cannot be 

 properly identified from preserved specimens, 

 but amongst them appear to be probably 

 B. ichlosseri and polycyclus. The colours are 

 various and due to a mixture of two or three 

 different pigments. The blue one is changed 

 into a deep red one by formalin. The 

 yellow and flesh-coloured specimens turn to 

 a dirty dark brown in alcohol, owing to the 

 formation of a new pigment by oxidization ; 

 but by careful management they may be 

 fairly well preserved in undiluted glycerine. 



1 1 . Botrylloidei rubrum, M. Edw. 



This is found below Brightlingsea and on 



