CLASS CEPHALOPODA. 9 
ELEDON, Aristotle, 
Have but a single row of cups along each foot. One of them, 
the Poulpe musqué, Lam., Mém. de la Soc. d’ Hist. Nat., 4to. 
pl. ii.; Rondelet, 516; is found in the Mediterranean, and is 
remarkable for its musky odour. 
ARGONAUTA, Lin. 
Octopi with two rows of cups; the pair of feet which are 
nearest to the back being dilated at the extremity into a broad 
membrane. ‘The two cartilaginous granules of the common 
octopus are wanting ; but these mollusca are always found in 
a very thin shell, symmetrically fluted and spirally convoluted ; 
the last whorl so large that it bears some resemblance to a 
galley, of which the spire should be the poop. The animal 
makes a consequent use of it, and in calm weather whole 
fleets of them may be observed navigating the surface of the 
ocean, employing six of their tentacula as oars, and elevating 
the two membranous ones by way of a sail. If the sea be- 
comes rough, or they perceive any danger, the argonaut with- 
draws all its arms, concentrates itself in its shell, and descends 
to the bottom. The body of the animal does not penetrate to 
the bottom of the spires of the shell, and it appears that it does 
not adhere to it, at least there is no muscular attachment, a 
circumstance which has induced some authors to believe that 
its residence there is that of a parasite, like the Pagurus Bern- 
hardus, for instance. As it is always found in the same shell, 
however, and as no other animal is ever seen there, although 
it is very common, and so formed as to show itself frequently 
on the surface, and as the germ of it is visible even in the 
ovum of the argonaut, this opinion must be considered as 
highly problematical, to say nothing more of it. 
The ancients were well acquainted with this singular ani- 
mal and its maneuvres. It is their Nautilus and their Pom- 
pilus.—Pliny, IX. c: xxix. 
