324 GASTEROPODES. 



These creatures seem to be opaque, solid, and heavy, and swimming 

 with some exertion. The skin of the capsule was still too dark to admit 

 exposure of any delicacy of organization, should it have been then unfold- 

 ed. It only shewed the observer that they might be inscribed in rude 

 spherical triangles, fig. 13. However, the capsular integument attenuat- 

 ing its form for days, the tenants were distinguished by great activity, 

 while their precise form could be ascertained. On the 18th, almost all 

 the capsules were quite freed from the sandy investment, now fallen in 

 grains to the bottom, and then were beheld multitudes of beings swim- 

 ming as so many specks at large in the water. 



The numbers, now liberated, uniformly resembled the Nautilines so 

 often described, only the cylinders seemed wider, and the sac or contents 

 of the shell shorter than in any of the others. Their course was swift 

 through the element, and the action of the cilia rapid. In all respects, 

 allowing for the flexibility of the parts, their whole organization and 

 habits, as far as I could determine, were to be identified with those of 

 the rest, fig. 14. Such was the appearance of this numerous brood of 

 Nautilines, and thus it continued until June 23. But they were very 

 different when in retreat. In two days, only two of the multitude re- 

 mained active. None survived in two days more. Their contents were 

 speedily dissolved. Their shells, now empty, admitted of the most fa- 

 vourable microscopical inspection. They are white, rather pearly, con- 

 sisting of a single volute, with a circular orifice, so wide as to exhibit no 

 contraction whatever, fig. 16. 



I was induced, by various reasons, to conclude these observations, cor- 

 roborative of a course made eight years previously, though shorter, and 

 with less perfect instruments. At that time the capsules of a cluster 

 were rated at sixty or seventy, and the Nautilines included apparently 

 larger than the last when free, were computed at thirty or forty in each. 

 There were five capsules from the unknown parent, connected by slender 

 ligaments, fig. 17; enlarged, fig. 18, three Nautilines from them; fig. 19, 

 their empty shells. 



The included animals traversed the whole fluid contents, which. 



