No. 24 BUCCINUM. 

 Whelk. Inhabitant a Limax. 



Shell univalve, spiral, gibbous; aperture ovate, terminating in a short canal 

 leading to the right, with a retuse beak or tip, inner lip expanded. 



The Whelks are found adhering to rocks or stones, beneath the surface of 

 the ocean; but some few are terrene. Their shells are generally strong, 

 rough and hollow; and their flesh may with safety be used for food. 



The purple-staining Whelks were formerly celebrated, on the coasts of the 

 Mediterranean, on account of a valuable purple dye, which was extracted 

 from them. They have, however, of late years, been entirely neglected, in 

 consequence of the discovery of cochineal, from which a dye equally excel- 

 lent, and at much less cost, is to be procured. The number of these shells 

 necessary to be collected together for the purpose of dyeing even a small 

 quantity of cloth, must have been very great. The matter for dyeing, 

 like the ink in the cuttle-fish, is found in a peculiar reservoir, situated in the 

 upper part of the body, and on one side of the stomach. This reservoir is 

 very small, being seldom so large as a small pea. A handkerchief stained 

 with the coloring matter of the Whelk, will retain its brilliancy for many years; 

 but the purple tint does not appear, till the linen has been exposed for some 

 time to the action of the sun and air. In Great Britain there are several 

 kinds of shell-fish which furnish a dye of this sort, but these are seldom 

 sought after. 



DIVISION I. Shell inflated, rounded, thin, slightly transparent and brittle. 

 Family 1st. Aperture without teeth. 



Scientific name. Locality. Scientific name. Locality. 



Olearum, East Indies, China. Dolium, Mediterranean, Am- 



Galea, Mediterranean. boyna. 



Perdix, Am., S. Seas, Amboyna. Candatum, 



Family 2d!. Outer lip toothed. 

 Sulcosum, Coromandel, China. Chinense, China, Java. 



