THE NAUTILUS. 



15 



times assumes noble proportions. You can find them under stones 

 or in out-of-the-way places among the rocks if you search when the 

 tide is low. All of these mollusks, in fact, are rock lovers, and it is 

 idle to seek for them except among the crags or broken boulders. 

 It is exceedingly interesting to capture a good-sized fellow and watch 

 his mode of locomotion. When placed on a smooth rock he moves 



along at no snail's ])ace, but strides on 

 like an elephant. Not quite so fast, to 

 be sure, but the motion of his body, 

 slightly swaying from side to side, and 

 the tremendous muscular force which 

 he evidently exerts cause one to invol- 

 untarily compare his gait to that of the 

 great proboscidian. And as for that 

 matter, our mollusk also has a thick, 

 bb.ck proboscis, of no mean propor- 

 tions. 



The Haliotis, in short, is the noblest 

 mollusk of our coast, if not of America. 

 H. Cracherodii. Of prodlglous muscular power, quick 



and active in movement, guided by keen instincts, supplying nour- 

 ishing food to man, and above all yielding a shell beautiful as the 

 rainbow, it deserves an honorable place in the list of our important 

 genera. 



Very fine green pearls, almost rivaling the product of the j^earl- 

 oyster are sometimes taken from its mantle, and when its superior 

 organization is considered, it is certainly far in advance of its head- 

 less neighbor. Every young collector should be sure to get good 

 specimens of California " abalone" shells and those who are fortu- 

 nate enough to visit the haunts of these creatures should endeavor to 

 learn more of their habits, and observe their curious structure and 

 interesting movements. 



NEW VARIETIES OF PATULA STRIGOSA. 



BY HENRY HEMPHILL. 



Patula strigosa var. carnea. 



Shell umbilicated, greatly depressed, dark horn-color, rather solid, 

 shining, surface somewhat uneven and covered with irreo-ular 



