45 
NAUTILUS Comptoni. 
TAB. CXXI. 
Spec. Char. Lenticular,, carinated ; center co- 
vered ; surface smooth ; keel obtuse ; aperture 
acutely triangular. 
The last whorl covers all the others, and has about ten 
septa. The centers are covered by a convex crust, more 
opaque than the rest of the shell. The mouth is formed 
of two arched lips. Siphuncle probably in the keel. 
Diameter less than one line. 
This is, perhaps, so small a Nautilus, that it is likely 
to be overlooked in England. I received it from Lord 
Compton (in the same stone with the Turrilites costata, 
tab. 36.) who found it at Earl-stoke, seven miles N. E. 
of Warminster, Wilts. I beg to record his Lordship’s 
penetration, as an honour to himself, and as likely to 
prove ultimately useful to society ; for, as the language 
of a country (says Lord Moira) may be enriched by a 
knowledge of other languages, so a knowledge even of 
the minutiae of Natural History must facilitate other 
branches of science in any country, for every atom has 
its use to infinity. The minuteness and rarity of thi$ 
specimen made me rather anxious to give it publicity, 
lest it should be lost. 
It agrees in some respects with the genus Patrocles of 
Montfort, but from the imperfection of some of his figures 
I do not know how to confide in this, and I think it is a 
fault to be hasty in making Genera, before we are ac- 
quainted with individuals. Now every observer would 
VOL. II. 
