COPY 
MERICAN MUSEUI/i OF NATURAL HISTORY 
Central Park West at 79th Street 
New York, N* Y* 
October 31, 1940 
Dr. Waldo L* Schmitt 
o/o R. W. Harrison 
2725 Montlake Boulevard 
Seattle , Yfashington 
Dear Dr. Schmitt: 
The ascidians from the crab, Paralithodes , reached me a 
short time ago. 
As you say, there are two kinds among them, Ascidia callosa 
Stimpson, 1852 (the transparent kind) and a Molgula, th¥ sand covered 
ones. The contracted condition and small size of the Molgulas makes 
their study very difficult. After spending the greater part of three 
days on them, I cannot differentiate them from Molgula retortiformis 
Verrill, 1871, already known from the Bering Sea region, except for 
their very small size and from many of them having eggs in the peri- 
branchial cavity, while M. retortiformis is reputed to be ovigerous, 
its eggs developing outside the body of the parent. 
Although some compound ascidians flourish on the backs of 
crabs, simple ascidians are usually very small and stunted under such 
conditions, and yours are no exception. In the present state of our 
knowledge of the ascidians of the northwest coasts I must assign them 
to M. retortiformis, as the justification for considering them distinct 
seems insufficient. 
I will send the specimens to the National Imiseum, retaining 
a few duplicates for pur collection. I hope that you will have a 
successful trip and will not find the Alaskan winter too long and 
tedious . 
Yery truly yours. 
Willard G. Van Name 
Associate Curator 
