60 Mr. Brodeiip on the 



zani published his " Considerazioni su i Molluschi Cefalopedi che si 

 trovano dentro le conchighe denominate Argonauti,"* wherein he enters 

 at large into the controversy, and thus concludes — " Metto fine a questa 

 mia memoria, conchiudendo che gli argomenti addotti dal Sig. Blainville, 

 e da me imparzialmente esaminati, lungi dal formare, com' egli pretende, 

 una specie di dimostrazione, lasciano la cosa qual' era prima, incerta cioe, 

 e dubbia, e che quindi a decidere, se i cefalopedi trovati nelle conchiglie 

 denominate Argonauti ne siano o no i fabbricatori, ed i legittimi proprie- 

 tari duopo e I'istituire nuove osservazioni, ed il fare nuove ricerche." f 



The next account to which our attention is drawn appeared in 1824, 

 in the " Journal of Science, Literature, and the Arts," J and the author 

 of that account seems to think all doubts on the point at an end, though 

 he does not give us any authority on which he founds his description and 

 summary judgment save that of Byron, who has immortalized the sub- 

 ject of our dissertation in five bright lines. 



" The animal of the Argonauta," says the author of the description 

 in the Journal of Science, •" has a fleshy body, like the octopus, obtuse 

 ** below, and principally contained in a non-alated sac, formed by the 

 " mantle. The head is furnished vidth lateral eyes, and terminated by 

 ** the mouth, around which are ranged, like radii, eight elongated pomted 

 " arms, furnished with suckers. Two of these arms have, for two-thirds 

 " of their length, a thin oval membrane, which the animal extends and 

 " contracts at pleasure. The difference between this animal and the 

 " octopus, consists principally in the singular membrane just mentioned, 

 " and in the latter having no shell." 



" The Argonauta does not appear to be attached to its shell, and it is 

 " said that it quits it when it pleases. It is asserted moreover that, 

 " when it wishes to sail on the surface, it displaces the water from the 

 ** shell, in order to lighten it, extends the two membranous arms, 

 " which serve as sails, and plunging the others into the sea, they per- 

 " form the office of oars. If bad weather, or an enemy approach, in 

 ** an instant all is taken in ; the animal ships his oars, strikes his sails, 



* Memorie di Storia Naturale dell' Abate Camillo Ranzani, Deca Prima 

 p. 85. Bologna, 1820. 



t P. 101. I Vol. XVI. p. 251. No. XXXII. 



