Mr. W. Thompson's Additions to the Fauna of Ireland. 63 



Pisces. 



'^Syngnathus ophidion, Linn./' Yarr. Brit. Fish, v.ii.447, 2nd edit 



A specimen taken in the dredge with oysters, at KilHnchy, Strang- 

 ford lough, in October last, happened fortunately to be brought 

 with them to Belfast market, where I procured it. Its length is eleven 

 inches ; the characters all as described by Yarrell. After being pre- 

 served in spirits for some weeks its colours are a mixture of very 

 pale bluish and brownish olive, with a fine black interrupted or non- 

 continuous line along the back from the head to the dorsal fin : — 

 whitish spots along the medial line. 



MOLLUSCA. 



Idalia aspersa, Aid. & Hanc. Brit. Nudib. Moll, part 1. pi. 26. 



One of this species, hitherto only known from a single individual 

 procured on the coast of Northumberland by the authors referred to, 

 was dredged in about seven fathoms water off Bray Head (county of 

 Wicklow) last July by Mr. R. Ball. When living it is said to have 

 been somewhat of a dull rosy hue. The specimen is now (probably 

 being contracted in spirits) five lines in length : it was submitted to 

 Mr. Alder's inspection. 



Tellina pygmcea, Phil. MS. ; Loven, Index Moll. Scandinavise, 

 p. 42 (1846). 



Specimens procured on the coast of Cork by Mr. John D. Hum- 

 phreys are — as Mr. S. Hanley informs me — in Mr. Jeflfreys's collec- 

 tion at Swansea. 



Ascidia tubularis, Miill. Zool. Dan. iv. p. 12. 1. 130. f. 3. 



One of this species, about twice the size of that represented in the 

 * Zoologia Danica/ was dredged from pure sand at about six fathoms 

 depth in Bally home bay, co. Down, in July 1846 (Mr. Hyndman 

 & W. T.). Professor E. Forbes, to whom the species was previously 

 known, says that it is common in the Hebrides. 



Ascidia grossularia, Van Beneden, Becher. Ascid. Simples, pi. 4. 

 f.7. 



This species, defined as having the " test come, presque lisse, de 

 couleur rouge," and being always known by its bright red colour, of 

 which the vitellus also is, was found in abundance on oysters at Brit- 

 lingsee by its describer. What I consider to be the same species is 

 likewise abundant on shells, stones, and occasionally on Laminarias, 

 dredged from a few fathoms depth on the north-east coast of Ireland. 

 It seems to me identical with what is represented in the * Zoologia 

 Danica,' vol. i. p. 15. t. 15. f. 3, as the young state of Asc. rustica 

 (previously noticed by me in the * Annals,' vol. v. p. 94). No allusion 

 however is made by Van Beneden to the A. prossw/ana resembling 

 any other Ascidia : but I agree with him in considering it a perfectly 



