The Cairo bulletin., 1909-11-11
PAPER NAUTILUS.
CALIFORNIA; Island Beaches Closely
Watched by Searehers for the
Beautiful and Coveted Treasures

watched by Searchers tor the
Beautiful and Coveted Treasures
A goodsized shell of the paper
nautilus may bring S75 and $500 has
lleen paid for very large specimen.
That being the case it is not sur
prisins tnat the people living on the
islands off the California coast get
out in their boats bright and early
after heavy gales to search the little
beaches for the coveted treasure.
The shells are thrown up by the
waves. but unless promptly taken
away the next rush Of water may
break them to PIECES The name
paper nautilus suggests the extreme
tragility of the vaselike shell. deeply
huted and coiied, with sharp keel
aud the most graceful ribs. and some
times more than 10 or II inches
across.
While the empty shells are scarce
they are positively common compared
with the rarity of the occupied ones.
A writer in Country Life in America
SAYS that he has hunted the beaches
for wears, hoping TO find a living MAUI
titus, but without success.
Three were brought to him by more
fortunate searchers, and for while
he kept one alive. 1t took food from
his hand and the first photographs
ever made Of living paper nautilus
were secured. THE She'll he says,
rs not essential to the animal, II is
only a dainty object having the shape
OF a shell, formed for the protection
of It's eggs. 1t is, then, a nest and in
no way connected with the animal,
as in the case of the pearly nautilus,
where the animal forms partitions as
II; grows and is connected with them
all fby a ftleshy pedicle or cord The
PAPER nautilus can dart out of its
fairy ship at seconds notice.
Changing into the shell we may see
a yellow bunch Of miniature grapes
hanging from the interior wall--tht
eggs and perched in front Of then
Is the argonaut, looking very much
like an octupus or deviliish, From th'
number of empty shells found upon
Santa catalina beaches in winter anC
summer Ii might be assumed that tbs
argonaut deserts the shell at time.
and lives rowing octopus-like life, +
In appearance 1t Is one OF the mos
beautiful Of all animals as 1t rests In
its shell, trembling with color. as
waves of rose, yellow. green, violet
and all tints of brown are continually
sweeping over it. now irised in the
most delicate shade of blue, now
brown or green. changing TO rose
vivid scarlet or molten silver. Sc
sensitive is it that every convulsivt
movement of the mantle Of my paper
nautilus, in taking in water to breathe
and forcing it out of the siphon
caused a wave of color to pass over
the entire body.
color cells contracted, leaving It pale
for fraction Of second, when /
was forced out they evidently re-
Taxed and the entire surface was suf
fused with color to disappear al
quickly, giving continuous hea
lightning effect.
"The body of the little argonaut II
| mere sac from three to six inches
in length. The head appears to. b.
separated from the body by a necl
and in each side are large, black
staring eyes, surrounded by ban'
of silver tinted with ultra-mariHe
continually changing.
| The glare of this hypnotic eye !
| striking, and when the animal sink
| into its shell or hides the eye can b
| plainly seen through it The eye ais
has peculiar sac or cover that slide
over it in lien Of lid which deade
the sight but does not destroy 1t.
/ Like the octopus. it has eight arm
4 or tenaales, In pairs, which rise fror
| the head and surround the sma
mouth, In which are seen two blacl
i parrotlike heaks with which the ma,
4 titus nips its food Below the mout
is 4 the ao-called siphona tube abor
Il as large as mans finger whic
seems TO possess sense peculiarl
fits own and a double function
| serves to carry off the water taken i
| at the gills: or II can throw JET (
! water and ink, or water alone. dii
tanoe Of FIVE or six feet into the al
or While III the water can almost II
| hantly rem sa'e II with a cloud