MATUKU ISLAND. 299 



extant.* "When the living Nautilus floats at the surface of 

 the water, it protrudes its head with all the tentacles out, and 

 spreads these out in the water, keeping the hinder part of the 

 curl of the shell all the while above water. On the bottom, 

 however, the animal creeps with the other side uppermost, 

 with the head and tentacles on the bottom, and makes tolerably 

 fast progress. 



" The animals remain mostly at the bottom, creeping some- 

 times into hoop nets set for fish, and lobster-pots ; but after a 

 storm, when the weather becomes calm, they are to be seen 

 floating in troops on the surface of the water. They are doubt- 

 less raised up by the waves caused by the storms. It follows 

 that they keep themselves together in troops on the bottom 

 also. The floating, however, does not last long, for drawing in 

 all their tentacles, the animals turn their boats over, and go 

 down again to the bottom. 



" On the other hand, the empty shells are frequently to be 

 found floating or cast up on the shore, for the defenceless animal, 

 having no operculum, is a prey to crabs, sharks, and crocodiles ; 

 and therefore the shells are mostly found with the edges bitten 

 off. Since the animal does not adhere fast to its shell, its 

 enemies can easily drag it out, leaving the empty shell to float. 



"The young of this Nautilus, not larger than a Dutch 

 shilling, are of a clean mother-of-pearl colour wuthin and with- 

 out. The rough shell substance overgrows the mother-of-pearl 

 only after a time, and this overgrowth commences from the 

 foremost part of the boat. 



" The Nautilus is found in all the Moluccan islands, and also 

 around the Thousand Islands off Batavia in Java, yet mostly 

 only the empty shells are met with, for the animal is seldom 

 found unless it creeps into the lobster-pots. 



" The animal is used for eating, like other ' Sea cats '; but it 

 is somewhat harder in flesh and difficult of digestion. The 

 shell is in much greater request, for the manufacture of the beau- 

 tiful drinking vessels so well known in Europe." 



It appears from Dr. Bennett's notes on various species of 



* D'Amboinsche Rariteitkamer door, G. E. Kumphius. Amsterdam, 

 1705, p. 61, Taf. XVII. Fol. 62. 



