144 History of Nature. [BoOK IX. 



the Tail of Adders and Lizards. But among the greatest 

 Wonders of Nature, is that Creature which by some is called 

 Nautilos, by others Pompilos. It comes to the Surface of 

 the Water upon its Back, so that it raiseth or heaveth itself 

 up by little and little ; and that it may swim with Ease, it 

 dischargeth all the Water through a Pipe, as if it were 

 unloaded by a Pump, After this, turning back the two fore- 

 most Arms, it stretcheth out between them a Membrane of 

 wonderful thinness ; which serve th it for a Sail in the Air, 

 whilst with the rest of its Arms it roweth under Water ; and 

 with the Tail in the midst it directeth its Course, as with an 

 Helm. Thus does it make its Way in the Deep with the 

 Imitation of a little Boat, and if any Thing alarm it with a 

 Draught of Water it sinks itself to the Bottom. 



CHAPTER XXX. 



Of the Ozcena, the Nauplius, and Locustce. 



THE Ozsena 1 is a kind of Polypus, and it derives its Name 

 from the strong Smell of its Head ; from which Cause espe- 

 cially the Mursenae pursue it. The Polypi lie hid for two 

 Months, and do not live above two Years. They always die 

 of a Consumption : the Female sooner than the Males, and 

 ordinarily after they have brought forth their Young. I 

 cannot pass over the Reports of Trebius Niger, one of the 

 Retinue of L. Lucullus, Proconsul in Boetica, which he deli- 

 vered as collected by the latter concerning these Polypi : 

 that they are exceedingly greedy after Conchaj (Cockles, 

 Mussels, and such-like Shell-fishes) : and that they, as soon 

 as they feel themselves touched, shut their Shells, and so cut 

 off their Arms, and thus feed upon those which sought to 

 make a Prey of them. These Shell-fishes are without Sight, 

 and every other Sense, but those of tasting their Meat 

 and Sensibility to Danger. These Polypi lie in wait for 

 Cockles as they gape wide open, and put in a little Stone 



1 Eledone moschatus. Cuv. Professor Edward Forbes says, it was 

 probably Eledone macrnpodia. Wern. Club. 



