Zoology.] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. \_Mollusca. 



than the vigilant look-ont which the creature maintained, watching 

 suspiciously, with its large perfect eyes just peeping over the edge 

 of the shell in which it nestled, as represented in our plate, 

 with the arms often curled inside along with the body when at 

 rest ; at other times they hung outside or streamed in a close 

 group in front, when the animal and shell darted backwards by 

 shooting water out of the funnel in front of the head. Occasionally 

 it crawled about on the bottom, head downwards, with the shell 

 covering over its upper part. When greatly frightened it abandoned 

 the shell and darted away with great velocity, but got back into it 

 again when left alone. The colors varied in a few seconds from 

 the palest pink to rich madder purple, according apparently to the 

 will or temper of the creature. This coloring of the surface of the 

 body, like naked Cuttle-fishes, is another reason for believing that 

 the shell is not a permanent habitation, but a temporary egg-case ; 

 which, moreover, does not accurately fit the body, as if moulded 

 on it, but is undoubtedly secreted by the inner side of the large 

 expanded posterior pair of arms. For this reason also the greater 

 number of perfect shells found are empty. 



The specimens figured are from rocky parts near Brighton, but 

 the so-called shells are found occasionally on all parts of the coast 

 of the colony. 



Explanation of Figures. 



Plate 61. — Fig. 1, side view of animal, withdrawn from the shell, showing the recurved, 

 form of the posterior part of body, the broad nuchal or cervical ligament, the eyes, mouth, 

 beaks, and funnel, with the membranous keels on the anterior pair of slender arms and the broad 

 posterior pair of dilated, shell-bearing ones, natural size. Fig. la, view of arms of one side of 

 the same, natural size, viewed from above, showing the relative length of the arms, the broad 

 ligamentous web between the anterior pair of arms in front crossing above the funnel, the 

 small webs between the bases of the 1st and 2nd pair and of the 3rd and 4th pairs, and their absence 

 between the bases of the 2nd and 3rd pairs. Fig. lo, section of 1st pair of arms, showing the 

 keel on back. Fig. lc, section showing form of rounded unkeeled back of 2nd and 3rd pairs of 

 arms. Fig. \d, section of hind pair of dilated arms, showing the greater projections of outer 

 row of suckers, and the broad webbed keel on back. 



Plate 62. — Fig. 1, animal seated in the shell, embracing and supporting the hinder part 

 with the dilated posterior pair of arms, natural size. Fig. la, side view of portion of base of 

 posterior arms, showing the broad, membranous keel on back, and the small web between the 

 suckers, magnified. Fig. 16, one of the suckers, viewed from above, showing the retractile 

 centre by which the adhesion to other bodies is caused, magnified. 



Frederick McCoy. 



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