THE NAUTILUS. 103 



ity of settlement and occupancy, than any white man. Their title 

 was aboriginal, and they were and had been, from time immemorial, 

 permanent residents " to the manner born." Whether their lack of 

 social position was due to the fact that they did not recognize the 

 merits of "baked beans and brown bread," " cod-fish balls " and 

 " pumpkin pie," etc., as gastronomic delicacies, or were unable to sing 

 " pennyroyal hymns" through their noses having no noses to sing 

 through can only be surmised, as they were not given to gossip or 

 backbiting, but always maintained a discreet and dignified silence. 

 While they were the only permanent residents, they often had tran- 

 sient visitors. Various salt-water birds frequented the region at 

 certain times in the year. Yellow-legs, doe birds, curlew, teal duck 

 and other species were pretty certain to make a short visit when- 

 ever a " northeaster" was brewing. 



The locality now known as Copley Square, with its impressive 

 buildings, Trinity Church, the Art Museum and the new " Old 

 South," was good hunting ground in those days. Most people, in- 

 cluding many credulous or unsophisticated Bostoniaus, honestly 

 regard these church edifices as erected for religious purposes, and 

 think, too, that the " Museum of Fine Arts," of which they are very 

 proud, is intended to foster and encourage the work of painters and 

 sculptors. No one will deny such persons the right of opinion, even 

 if it does rest upon a hallucination ; on the other hand a fellow may 

 be pardoned who sees in these " places of worship " simply funeral 

 monuments sacred to the memory of the thousands of harmless 

 mollusks, 'Modiola plicatula, that were buried alive in a so-called 

 Christian city in the nineteenth century, with no one to say a word 

 in their behalf. And the Art Building ! What of that? It may 

 be regarded as commemorative of the fact that the spot whereon it 

 stands was good hunting ground in days long since gone by, and 

 that hereabout my father (of blessed memory) and myself often- 

 times successfully pursued ornithology for gastronomic purposes. 



In course of time, it is highly probable, suitable tablets will be 

 placed in front of the principal buildings bearing the following in- 

 scription : 



" The region hereabout was formerly inhabited by a branch of 

 the great aboriginal family MODIOLA. The members of the local 

 tribe, PLICATULA, were peaceful in their lives, simple in their 

 habits, never told lies, never talked back to old people, and 



their fate without a murmur. 

 "Keep their memory green." 



