20 



Animal Life by the Sea-shore. 



The colonial Ascidians are represented with us, in shallov/ 

 water, by Clavelina lepadiforniis, forming colonies on rocks. 

 The individuals, onlj' one-fourth of an inch in length, vase- 

 shaped, transparent, with j-ellow lines, are separate except 

 at the base, where they arc connected by a common creeping 



FIG. 18. .\SCID1.\NS (CYNTHIA, ASCIDIA, CL.\ \'EL].\A , BOTRYLLUS). 



process or stohm, from which buds arc periodicall}' produced ; 

 these buds grow up into individuals which produce eggs, out of 

 which free-swimmmg larv;e disperse to establish new colonics. 

 When the larva first fixes itself to some suitable surface the 

 tail remains for a time stretched, but soon becomes shorter 

 and gradually' disappears, as in a tadpole, ha\-ing first been 

 drawn within the sac-like body, where it is finally absorbed. 

 Clavelina forms part of an interesting group connecting the 

 simple Ascidians, which reproduce (inl\- b\' eggs, and the 



