THE AliGONA UTA 12i> 



of its limbs furnished with fine silver-coloured 

 membranes — the other limbs being extended, like 

 oars, on either side of the shell. Gazing on tin's 

 elegant and living ves^el, its delicate shining mem- 

 branes looking like little wings, it is easy to under- 

 stand how Aristotle and Pliny saw in the nautilus 

 one of the marvels of the sea, and pictured it as a 

 representative in miniature of the art of navigation. 



The argonaut is found in many seas, but is not, 

 properly speaking, a traveller. The least billow, the 

 approach of the slightest peril, causes the timid 

 creature to draw in his arms, upon which, in con- 

 sequence of refilling his shell with water, he sinks 

 into the calm and safe depths of the sea. His re, 

 treat is so cleverly managed that it is extremely 

 difficult to take him captive. The officers of the 

 VaiUant, desiring to obtain some of these beautiful 

 objects, sent a boat's crew, during a voyage to the 

 Cape of Good Hope, to capture one or more speci- 

 mens ; but scarcely had the men moved their hands 

 towards them, than the too clairvoyant animals sud- 

 denly filled their shells, and, sinking to the bottom, 

 left the sailors gazing at each other in disappointed 

 admiration. 



Attention has always been attracted by the forms 

 of fishes, and from them, in fact, we appear to have 

 borrowed the idea for the forms of ships. The 



