CHE NAUTILUS. 1 H 



the shells been found. Whether or not they are on the eastern 

 slopes, on the Swan river side, is yet to be determined. 



The habits of the sliells are very peculiar. Shells are rarely found 

 among the bushes or where there is much vegetation. They are 

 found on the surface among the loose rocks of medium sizp, but not 

 among the large boulders or the finer talus. "When bleached, they 

 are a beautiful white, their color against the dark brown or lichen- 

 colored sandstone making them very conspicuous objects. The cor- 

 rugations show plainly from a distance, and there is no difficulty 

 wiiatever in seeing the dead shells when in the region where they 

 are to be found. 



The living ones are not so easily discovered. They are dark 

 brown, almost identical in color with the rocks among which they 

 live, and very easily overlooked. When the animal dies the color 

 changes to a delicate pink, and later the shell becomes a beautiful 

 clear and pearly-white. 



A search was begun for living shells by following up the talus 

 where the shells were found most abundantly. After descending 

 over a thousand feet, we came to a small ledge of rock forming a 

 sharp j)romontory with a cliff below, on which we stopped to take a 

 photograpli of McDonald Peak, which showed up beautifully from 

 this point. This ledge forms the western wall for the small canon 

 through which the aforementioned stream comes. The loose rocks 

 on the top of the cliff were overturned. It was with much surprise 

 that shells were picked up, and among them one apparently alive. 

 Diligent search revealed the fact that this small ledge, not more than 

 thirty feet in extent, was the iiome of a colony of these interesting 

 creatures. A quart of shells was secured, among them a dozen live 

 ones, the first ever found. This ledge is shown on the left of the 

 picture. 



This home of the shell is very interesting and romantic. Living 

 on the cliffs of one of the most rugged ranges in the State, with scant 

 vegetation, it has a life common to few shells. It prefers the crannies 

 among the loose rocks, hiding there from enemies. 



After finding this first colony, a second trip was made over the 

 same route, only farther up the mountain. Other colonies were 

 found, with occasionally a live one. Search was then made lower 

 down, among the rocks near the lake, resulting in finding live ones 

 at different places, though to do so required considerable digging in 



