BOOK OF NATURE LAID OPEN. 131 



such a fund of patient perseverance, that it is ena- 

 bled to penetrate into these callous substances by the 

 application of a fleshy member, resembling a tongue. 

 With this soft and yielding instrument, the indefati- 

 gable and persevering Pholas, perforates marble and 

 the hardest stones ; and when small and naked, it 

 has effected an entrance, it then enjoys a life of se- 

 curity and ease, existing upon sea water, that enters 

 at the aperture, and increasing its habitation as it in- 

 creases in size. 



The Instinctive Sagacity of the crustaceous tribe 

 also claims our attention We have already re- 

 marked, that the little Nautilus is furnished with an 

 apparatus for either diving or swimming. But who 

 taught the Nautilus to sail ? and yet, without the 

 instinctive knowledge how to make use of them, of 

 what use would be either her sails or oars ? these, 

 however, are not given her in vain, for she evinces 

 a knowledge in the art of navigation, which is sup- 

 posed to have been copied by some of the early ma- 

 riners, and the example she affords has been held 

 out by the poet as still deserving imitation : 



Learn of the little Nautilus to sail, 



Spread the thin oar, and catch the driving gale." 



The natural sagacity of the Nautilus, in the use of 

 his instruments of motion, is thus beautifully deli- 

 neated by the descriptive pen of Hervey; " The 

 dexterous inhabitant (whose shell forms a natural 

 boat,) unfurls a membrane to the wind, which serves 

 him instead of a sail. He extends also a couple of 

 arms, with which, as with two slender oars, he rows 



