238 THE ARGONAUT. 
sky became overcast, storm threatened or high wind arose, 
as drawing in its sails and seeking safety beneath the waves. 
It was the original “Nautilus,” the pearly Nautilus being un- 
known to them. 
The Argonaut swims rapidly by ejecting water through 
its siphon,—a large tube quite distinct from the mouth. 
This tube is placed just above the keel of the shell, and the 
large broad arms are always closely applied to the shell, 
though they can be slightly contracted. If the animal is 
removed from its shell, it cannot get into it again. It proba- 
bly cannot form a new one for reasons already mentioned. 
Deprived of its protection, it beats itself about blindly till it 
dies. 
The eggs have been said to be deposited inside of the 
spire. I think that this is a mistake. In the specimens I 
have seen, they are agglutinated to the outside of the apex, 
inside of the last whorl, as S by M. Rang. (See 
Woodward's Manual, fig. 3 
I believe the Peru Hr are of limited distribution. Some 
extend over larger-areas than others, particularly the Pacifie 
Species. But it is probable that when our knowledge of the 
subject is increased by a greater number of observations, 
we shall find that these beautiful creatures have their boun- 
daries, outside of whieh they may rarely or never be found. 
Many species have been confounded, as the shells all closely 
resemble one another. Argonauta argo has been reported 
from the Mediterranean, to which it is strictly confined; 
from the Indian Ocean, Philippines, and even from Califor- 
nia! For the last species I have proposed the specific name 
of Pacifica, as a comparison with Mediterranean specimens 
shows that, aside from the question of distribution, the shells 
_ differ. As an example of the probably limited distribution 

. of these mollusea, I note as follows : 
.. Tn 1849, M. Noury, captain of a French frigate, obtained 
anew and very distinct and beautiful Argonaut, from the 
— whaling gom off the coast of Peru, i in Lat. 10° south. It. 


