CEPHALOPODA. 



a strong leathery hood, into which it can be com- 

 pletely drawn, and which then acts as an operculum* 

 In place of the eight long arms, there are forty short 

 ones, destitute of suckers, but more or less rough, 

 capable of being protruded or retracted ; while the 

 mouth is surrounded by a series of tentacles, yet 

 more numerous. The best known species (N. Pom- 

 pilius) is common in the Indian seas, whence its 

 shell is brought to our collections in great numbers. 

 Until very lately, however, no modern naturalist 

 had seen the living animal ; but George Bennett, 

 Esq., had the good fortune to obtain a specimen 

 near Erromanga, an island which has since acquired 

 a notoriety, as the scene of the massacre of the 

 late lamented Mr. Williams. The Nautilus " was 

 found in Mare Kini Bay, floating on the surface 

 of the water not far distant from the ship, and 

 resembling, as the sailors expressed it, a dead 

 tortoiseshell cat in the water. It was captured, but 

 not before the upper part of the shell had been 

 broken by the boat-hook in the eagerness to take 

 it, as the animal was sinking when caught." f The 

 colour of the shell is whitish, with bands of bright 

 fawn colour, and within of the richest pearly hue. 



Many fossil shells are discovered having a cham- 

 bered structure, called Belemnites, Ammonites, Num- 

 mulites, &c., whose animals probably belonged to 

 this class. Some of them were of vast size, the 

 shells being as large as a coach-wheel. 



* The horny plate which defends the mouth of spiral shells, 

 t Mr. Bennett's Journal. 



