A mate of a whaler, who had been shipwrecked upon, and resided among the Fidgi group of islands in the Southern Pacific, for nearly three years, says he has seen the shell of the Pearly Nautilus, containing the living animal, floating on the water, near one of the islands. He had only seen two, as they are not commonly seen with the fish in them, although the empty shells were very numerous among that group of islands.
He stated, the first time he saw one, was when in a canoe with some other shipwrecked Europeans; it was then floating upon the surface of the water, the mouth of the shell uppermost. It was enveloped in the mantle, which extended some distance upwards, and over the whole of the shell; it had such an appearance as to cause one of the men in the canoe to say, “There is a large piece of blubber upon the water:” on approaching it the animal retracting the mantle, displayed the beautiful striped shell, and sank before they could capture it.
At Manilla, the shells of this species of Nautilus are in great abundance; they are neatly carved, the whole of the coloured part of the shell being removed, and the portion exposed appearing of a beautiful nacre, or mother-of-pearl, with the raised white carved figures upon it, which have a pretty effect. I could not procure any with the soft parts, but was told by a gentleman that he had seen them with the fish, but it was always taken out and thrown away, and the shell alone preserved.
One of the shells cut, and the aperture turned downwards, forms the base; the keel of the shell, with the aperture uppermost, is placed upon it, forming a pretty vase of antique form, and highly esteemed in Europe as ornaments for the mantel-piece; they are sold at Manilla for a few reals the pair.
The inhabitant of this beautiful shell, which I brought safely to England, has been described and dissected by my esteemed friend, R. Owen, Esq., and published, with splendid engravings, by the Curators of the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons in London.
ON THE HABITS OF THE VIVERRA MUSSUNGA, OR JAVA CAT.
(See page 438, vol. i.)
On the 14th of May 1833, I purchased one of these animals from a native canoe, which came off to the ship on the coast of Java: it is commonly known among Europeans by the name of the Java-cat, and is a native of Java, Sumatra, and perhaps others of the eastern islands. This specimen was young, and appeared very tame. The native from whom I procured it, had it inclosed in a bamboo cage, in which I also kept it for a short time.