like colors may be observed. There are over three hundred fossil species 

 of the Nautilus, and but five or six that are still living. 



While the shell of the Nautilus is well known, the animal is very 

 rare in our museums, although the natives of the Fiji Islands, the New 

 Hebrides, and New 

 Caledonia are able 

 to obtain it in large 

 quantities for food, 



JB&EHiT-XBHMR'', 



and it is highly es- 

 teemed by them. 

 During the voyage 

 around the world 

 of the English sur- 

 vey steamer Chal- 

 lenger, a living Nau- 

 tilus was captured 

 by dredging in 

 about three hun- 

 dred and twenty 

 fathoms near Ma- 

 teeka Island, one of 

 the Fiji group. It 

 was placed in a tub 

 filled with w r ater, 

 in which it swam 

 about in a lively 

 manner by ejecting 

 water from its fun- 

 nel. The tentacles, 

 of which there are 

 a larger number 

 than in the other 

 Ceplialopods, were 



Pearly nautilus, Nautilus pompilius. The shell is cut in sec- 

 tion and the animal is in its natural position in the shell, a, 

 mantle; b, dorsal fold of mantle; c, nidamental gland; g, shell 

 muscle; i, siphuncle connecting animal with chambers of shell; 

 k, siphon or funnel; n, hood; p, tentacles; s, eye; x, septa or par- 

 titions separating chambers; z, last or living chamber. (From 

 Woodward, after Owen.) 



spread out radially, 

 like those of the sea anemones. Thirty-six of these tentacles may 

 be retracted into eight pouches, which represent the eight arms of the 

 Octopus; forty-eight are arranged about the mouth, and four, called the 

 ocular tentacles, are placed on the head, one in front of, and one behind 

 each eye. All of these tentacles are without suckers. A peculiar 

 appendage, called the hood, is formed on the upper side of the 

 pouches. This acts as an operculum, and closes the shell when 



133 



