A HISTORY OF ESSEX 20. Anguinella palmetto, V. Ben. Common ; Dovercourt, Orwell (Harmer). 21. Valkcria uva (var. cuicuta). Harwich (G. P. Hope). 22. Pedicel Una cernua, Pallas. Brightlingsea. X. ECHINODERMATA 1. Echinus mi/iarii, Linn. This is extremely abundant in Harwich harbour, and less so in the open water off Mersea. 2. So/aster pappasus (Fabr.). Fairly common at all the places I have examined. Though some specimens are of a fine red colour, there is considerable variation, due to the varying amount of several different pigments. 3. Asterias rubens, Linn. This is common all along the coast, and dredged in large quantities for manure. 4. Ophiura ciliaris, Linn. Extremely abundant in the open water near the mouth of the Colne, and common in many other localities. 5. Ophiothrix jragilis (O. F. Mailer). This is fairly common in Harwich har- bour, though it cannot be said to be abun- dant. 6. Synapta inherent, O. F. Muller. I do not remember ever finding this in Essex, but at one time it was common in a restricted area in the Orwell, a few miles outside the county. 7. Ciuumaria, sp. (?) At one time a Holothurian, something like a Cucumaria, was fairly common in the Stour off Parkeston, but lately I have dredged for it in vain. Unfortunately all my early speci- mens seem to have been destroyed, and only the tentacles and digestive organs preserved, mounted as a lantern slide. This may be an abnormal specimen, since it shows only eight tentacles, which are of dark brown colour, and until other specimens have been found identification is impossible. 8. Thyme fisus, O. F. Mflller. Many years ago I dredged this in Harwich harbour, and lately in the Orwell, but in each case only one specimen. XI. TUNICATA (Sea-squirts) 1. Styelopsis grossulariay Van Beneden. This flesh-coloured ascidian is very common all along the coast and in the estuaries, attached to stones, shells and algae. 2. Polycarpa cantata, Alder. Small specimens occur in the Stour, and larger in the creek east of Walton-on-Naze, often so covered with attached sand as to look like a ball of hardened sand. 3. Polycarpa pomaria, Savigny. Much less common than the other species. 4. Aiddiella aspersa, O. F. Muller. 5. Ascidiella virginea, O. F. Muller. These two species occur in greater or less abundance all along the coast, and in the estuaries ; in some cases fixed objects being covered by them. 6. Ascidia plebeia, Alder. Found in the Stour near Harwich, but not common. 7. Atcidia producta, Hancock. Fairly common in some parts of the Colne, often much attached along its side to algse. 8. Clona intestinalis, Linn. Though less abundant than the above named Ascidia, this is also common all along the coast. 9. C/ave/ina lepadifirmis, O. F. Muller. This occurs in bunches of many individuals on the east bank of the Colne below Bright- lingsea and at Walton-on-Naze. Compound ascidians. These are sometimes difficult to preserve for future identification. Much remains to be learned about their colouring matters. 10. Botryllus, spp. Specimens of this genus are common along the coast. The exact species cannot be properly identified from preserved specimens, but amongst them appear to be probably B. ichlosseri and polycyclus. The colours are various and due to a mixture of two or three different pigments. The blue one is changed into a deep red one by formalin. The yellow and flesh-coloured specimens turn to a dirty dark brown in alcohol, owing to the formation of a new pigment by oxidization ; but by careful management they may be fairly well preserved in undiluted glycerine. 1 1 . Botrylloidei rubrum, M. Edw. This is found below Brightlingsea and on
