158 
ANIMAL CURIOSITIES 
season the former develops a curious swelling 
upon his third right arm. From this swelling 
arises a worm-like growth that terminates in 
a long and slender filament. 
Mr. Edgar E. Smith, writing in the Royal 
Natural History , tells us that when the owner 
of this peculiar arm “ offers his hand to a 
female octopus, she not only accepts it, but 
keeps it, for this remarkable outgrowth is 
then detached from the arm of her suitor 
and becomes a moving creature, having 
separate fife, and continuing to exist for some 
time after being transferred to her keeping.” 
Another interesting member of the eight¬ 
armed cephalopods is the argonaut or paper- 
nautilus, a creature that has given rise to 
many fabulous stories concerning its supposed 
habit of floating upon the surface of the ocean 
in its shell, and utilizing its arms as sails. As, 
however, further reference will be found in 
these pages to this poetical fallacy, we will 
proceed to consider other matters in regard 
to this wonderful animal. 
It is the sole member of the octopod group 
that has an external shell, although, curiously 
enough, it is only the females that possess one. 
The creature receives its name of “ paper ” 
nautilus on account of the extreme delicacy 
of its shell, which is so thin and fragile that 
