FORMS OF SIMPLE ASCIDIANS. 445 



zone ; and, trust me ! we shall reap a most abundant 

 harvest : 



" Suave, mari magno turbantibus sequora ventis 

 E terra magnum alterius spectare laborem ! " 



that is, as we will take the liberty of translating it, 

 It is very agreeable to sit still here upon the shore, 

 and watch the sea doing our work for us, especially 

 while we enjoy a little luncheon. 



And now the tide is ebbing, and the beach strewn 

 with all sorts of objects left by the retreating waves : 

 let us to our task, and see what next presents itself 

 for observation ; for we may rest assured, the products 

 of deep water will be met with here. And first, these 

 large ASCIDIANS claim our notice. 



Rarely is the dredge drawn up from any sea-bed at 

 all prolific in submarine creatures, without containing 

 few or many irregularly-shaped leathery bags affixed 

 to sea-weed, rock, or shell, by one extremity, or by 

 one side, free at the other, and presenting two more 

 or less prominent orifices, from which, on the slightest 

 pressure, sea- water is ejected with great force. On 

 the sea- shore, when the tide is out, we find similar 

 organisms attached to the under surface of stones, or 

 lodged in crevices of rocks. They are variously, often 

 splendidly coloured, but otherwise are unattractive, or 

 even repulsive in their aspect. These creatures are 

 ASCIDI.E, properly so called. Numbers of them are 

 often found clustering amongst tangles, like bunches 

 of some strange semitransparent fruit; others are 

 enclosed in a gelatinous case*, which is often en- 



* The word Ascidian is derived from da-Kos (askos), a leather 

 bag, or wine-skin. 



