126 Beautiful Shells. 



tropical seas ; its scientific name is Argonaufa argo. 

 In the mythology, we read that Argo was the name 

 of a ship that carried a certain Grecian named 

 Jason, and a crew of argives, in search of adven- 

 tures. Some say that the term is derived from a 

 Greek word signifying swift. This party of mari- 

 ners, said to be the first that ever sailed upon the 

 sea, was called Argonauts , or, as it might be freely 

 translated, seamen of the ship Argo. Naitticus, in 

 Latin, signifies anything relating to ships or navi- 

 gation, and here you have the whole origin of the 

 name of this little Argonaut, about which we must 

 sing you a song written by Mary Howitt before we 

 proceed further : — 



" Who was the first sailor ? tell me who can ; 

 Old father Neptune ! — no, you're wrong, 

 There was another ere Xeptune began; 



"Who was he ? tell me. Tightly and strong, 

 Over the waters he went — he went. 

 Over the waters he went I 



*• Who wa^ the first sailor P tell me who can ; 

 Old father Noah! — no, you're wrong, 

 There was another ere Noah began, 



Who was he? tell me. Tightly and strong, 

 Over the waters he went — he went, 

 O^er the waters he went. 



