INHABITING MULTILOCULAR SHELLS. 465 
position in the lower part of the thimble-shaped body, which is thus 
naturally, and without muscular effort, kept uppermost in the water, 
although, unless there were some contrivance of the kind, it would 
probably be the heaviest part, as containing the closely-packed viscera. 
If the reader has not forgotten what was said of this class of animals 
at the commencement of our essay, he will perceive how perfectly 
convenient to them such an apparently unnatural posture—the head 
being the lowest part—must be, for all the purposes of feeding and 
other functions of life. 
We have now gone through the different groups which compose 
the two great divisions of cephalopodous animals provided with 
multilocular shells. We have considered first the probable nature 
and habits of the Ammoneata, as deduced from the somewhat analo- 
gous family of Nautilacea ; then, blending our knowledge of Nautilus 
and the naked sepia, we have applied the result to inquire concern- 
ing the animal to which the Belemnite formerly belonged ; and now 
we have been considering the nature of the more minute, and occa- 
sionally more obscure, owners of foraminiferous shells. The habits 
of these last, indeed, are not very satisfactorily determined ; but 
there is little doubt that they, for the most part, swim freely in the 
ocean, although the fact of some problematical genera having heen 
observed permanently attached to marine substances, seems to form 
a curious and anomalous exception. It has been our object all along 
to give a simple, unexaggerated statement of the present condition 
of knowledge on the subject discussed, occasionally throwing out 
our own ideas, indeed, to serve as hints, but in this only performing 
the imperative duty of every one, at all interested in the progress of 
science. We assume no higher office than the unpretending one of 
indicator: standing, we trust, on the high-road of scientific research, 
we point the way toa path as yet but little trodden ; but it is a 
path not without its flowers which those who search diligently will 
find abundantly. If these flowers are small, they are not the less 
sweet; and the wreath that is woven of the humble violet adminis- 
ters, perhaps, fully as much to the happiness of the wearer as that 
in which the laurel tells of loftier conquests and more rapid ad- 
vancement. It should never, however, be forgotten, that really im- 
portant progress in any branch of science is made up of the simul- 
taneous advance of a large number of separate departments ; and al- 
though this is not always seen—for the rapidity of the forward 
movement, when it does take place, dazzles the eye and confuses the 
understanding—yet it is not the less true that every thing of real 
interest and utility is attained only by cool, calm, minute research, 
VOL, IX., NO, XXVII. 59 
