Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 August 1897 — Nautilus Eggs [ARTICLE]

Nautilus Eggs

The yotmgest student of geology or fossil hunter knows what an ammonite la, but perhaps he does not know that the «ily living representative of the very large family of ammonites is the pearly nautilus, an interesting creature allied to the cuttlefish, about the growth of which In its younger stages hitherto little has been known. In order to study the subject completely, Dr. Arthur Willey of University College, London, sailed for the South Beas, two and a half years ago. In •earch of tire eggs of the pearly nautilus, and it has recently been reported to the lloyal Society—under •whose auspices the research has been undertaken—that after considerable trouble, and by the construction, of a submarine cage, in which specimens of the nautilus were fed daily, a number of eggs had been secured. Bach egg is as large as a grape, and is deposited separately. It is necessary, in order to understand the structure and manner of construction of the beautiful chambered shell of the nautlles, that the gradual growth of the young in the egg should be carefully observed, and doubtless by now •this hitherto blank page in the book of knowledge has been filled Ln.Chambers’ Journal.