304 INTEODUCTIOX TO CONCHOLOGY. 



diet XV._, which, from their extreme fineness, were enclosed 

 in a small box, about the size of one for holding snuff. A 

 robe of this material is mentioned by Procopius as the gift 

 of a Eoman emperor to the satrap of Armenia. 



It is even conjectured, by some writers, that the fine 

 bi/ssiis produced in India, Egypt, and about EUs, in Arabia, 

 was no other than the threads of this interesting shell-fish, 

 from wdiich the richest apparel was anciently made, and 

 afterwards dyed purple, for the sacerdotal vestments of the 

 Jewish and Egyptian priests. 



The animal inhabitant of the Pinna marina is a blind 

 slug, surrounded with numerous enemies, and particularly 

 obnoxious to the Sepia, or Cuttle-fish, who watches the 

 motion of the Pinna, and no sooner does the latter open his 

 bivalve shell, which occasionally exceeds two feet in length, 

 than he rushes upon him Kke a lion. It will naturally 

 be asked, how such a blind, defenceless creature can either 

 procure food, or protect himself from the attack of his 

 implacable enemies? Nature uniformly redoubles her 

 exertions in favour of the weak; or rather, it may be said, 

 that the God of Nature offers, by this new and affecting 

 compensation, an additional reason for unreserved confi- 

 dence in Him. A kind of crab-fish, naked like the Hermit, 



