Ow Vessels made of the Vupyrus, 535' 



creatures which it serves to disclose ; colours which come and 

 go at pleasure, glorying, as it were, in their subtle changes, 

 passing rapidly from a lively red to aurora, to orange, to green, 

 and to azure blue ; a magic scene, compelling more than the 

 admiration of every beholder. " O Lord 1 how manifold 

 are thy works ! in wisdom hast thou made them all." 



Note, — In this, and in a preceding letter, I have charac- 

 terised the iSepia, usually found in the shell of the Argonaiita 

 A'rgo, as a parasite ; but in a late number of the Edinburgh 

 New Philosophical Journal I find it stated that the opposite opi^ 

 nion has been satisfactorily proved by Professor Stefano delle 

 Chiage of Naples, who has an engraving which exhibits " in 

 embryo, within the ovum, the rudiments of the shell in which 

 the animal lives." I must, however, acknowledge that I am 

 still sceptical on this point ; but I will here state, in the shortest 

 manner, the arguments for both opinions. 



Parasitical. Non-parasitical. 



1. The jSepia has no organic or 1. The /Sepia is connected to the 

 muscular connection with the shell, shell by a ligament. Blanchard. 

 Aristotle^ Cranchy Poll. 



2. More than one species of »S'e- 2. No animal but the (Sepia has 

 pia inhabit the same species of ever been found in the shell which 

 shell. Bosc. is common. 



3. The outward markings of the 3. The animal, when fresh, pre- 

 animal do not correspond with the sents upon its cloak the exact form 

 sculpture of the shell. Blainville. of the shell, and the impressions of 



the grooves and tubercles with which 

 it is ornamented. Ferussac. 



4. The ovum contains no trace 4. The construction of the shell 

 of a shell {Bauer ^ Roget) ; nor is it is entirely conformable to the organ- 

 contained in a chambered nidus, isation of its inhabitant. Ferussac^ 

 Home, Blanchardy Cuvier. 



The ovum contains the shell in 

 embryo. Dwcerneyy Poliy Blanchard. 



The evidence is so contradictory that there seems no alter- 

 native but to conclude that the shell has been formed by one 

 Cephalopode, its proper inhabitant ; and is occasionally occu- 

 pied by another Cephalopode, its parasitical tenant. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c. 



G. J. 



Art. X. Farther Illustration of Observations on Vessels made of 

 the Vapjrus, By John Hogg, Esq. A.M. F.L.S. &c. 



Sir, 

 On perusing Captain Robert Mignan's Travels in Chald^a 

 I was struck with his descriptions of several kinds of vessels, 



