288 The Ascidians. (CHAP. XVI. 
touch them again and again, and they will shrink and hide 
themselves in their fleshy home, which becomes greatly re- 
duced in bulk. ‘Wait a little, and you will observe the pap 
assume its natural size, and the surface will appear roughish 
and covered with small protuberances. From these asperi- 
ties the numerous polyps may now be noticed, slowly, and 
almost imperceptibly, emerging one by one; and having 
gained a sufficient height, their slender and fragile arms, or 
tentacula, will also be observed catitiously expanding, which, 
when nearly fully developed, gives to the whole mass the 
enchanting appearance of a bouquet of flowers of the rich- 
est dye, or of a gaudy-colored wreath of beautiful and deli- 
cate blossoms, combined in one cluster, enough to excite 
wonder and admiration even in the dullest mind.” 
Without following Edward farther in his description of 
the zoophytes, we may proceed to state that he was for 
some time engaged in collecting mollusks for Mr. Alder, of 
Newcastle, who was engaged in writing a paper on the sub- 
ject. Having observed the great number of tunicata, or 
acephalous mollusks, found upon the fishermen’s lines, Ed- 
ward proceeded to collect and examine these lower pro- 
ductions 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 : 
“T have received yours of the 16th inst. (October, 1864), 
and also two parcels of Ascidians. I shall be most happy 
to receive and name for you any Tunicata you may send. 
Our communications may be mutually advantageous, as I 
should like to have information 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 mentioned parts of two or three. It 
was, I think, a Botryllida incrusting the stem of a sea-weed, 
but of what species I can not say. In the second parcel, 
received this morning, there is a piece of Leptoclinum 
