ON GASTEROPODA. 363 
for after being carded it is replunged into the bath, until it 
has imbibed as much of the liquid as possible. The buccinum 
is never employed by itself, because it produces a dye which 
will not hold, or rather, perhaps, because it does not preserve 
the lively red ; but by mixing it with the purpura, it gives to 
the too dark tint of the latter the solidity and brilliancy of the 
scarlet, which is sought for. By this mixture, these colours 
mutually heighten or darken each other. The best proportion 
is for fifty pounds of wool, two hundred pounds of buccinum, 
and one hundred and eleven pounds of the purpura. ‘Thus 
that superb colour is obtained, which is named amethyst. - 
To obtain the Tyrian colour, the wool is saturated in a bath of 
the liquor of the purpura, still green and not black, and then 
it is transferred into one of the buccinum. Thus is produced 
the finest purple, the colour of coagulated blood, blackish 
when viewed in front, and of a brilliant hue when seen side- 
ways. From this Homer applies the epithet of purple to the 
blood. 
“The conchylian colour is obtained by similar processes, 
excepting that no buccinum is used, and half the bath is 
composed of equal portions of water and wine. Thus a palish 
colour is obtained, (aptly termed conchylian, from its resem- 
blance to the usual colour of sea-shells), which is in high 
estimation, and more extensive, as the wool is less saturated. 
“ Another tint is yet obtained, which has been named 
tyriamethyst, by saturating a stuff which was at first 
amethystine, in a bath of the Tyrian purple, as its name in- 
dicates, so that they tint at first conchylian, to facilitate the 
Tyrian tincture, which then becomes, as is said, more agree- 
able and softer. Just as to obtain the deep poppy-colour, 
they retint in Tyrian purple what had been first tinted in 
Kermes.” 
The price of these colours varied according to the supply 
of animals; but, nevertheless, in consequence of the small 
a2 
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