206 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSCA. 



of its original colour. It was said to owe its durability 

 and freshness to some use of honey in the process of 

 dyeing.* 



In f Religious Ceremonies/ p. 309, we are told 

 that the Pope celebrates Mass in Lent, Advent, and all 

 eves on which fasting is required, in a purple robe. 



Other shellfish produce purple dyes ; amongst them 

 Aplysia hybrida, and I have dyed a piece of linen with 

 the beautiful purple liquid which it emits, but it faded 

 quickly. 



Dr. Darwin mentions a large Aplysia which is com- 

 mon at the Cape de Verd Islands, five inches long, and 

 of a dirty yellowish colour, veined with purple, and 

 when disturbed, it emits a very fine purplish-red fluid, 

 which stains the water for a space of a foot round. 



The Dolabella Bumphi is stated by Mr. Nicholas 

 Pike to yield a deep lilac liquid, and from one spe- 

 cimen which he found on Barkly Island, off the Island 

 of Mauritius, he procured nearly half an ounce of the 

 viscous liquid, which retained its colour even when dry.f 



Lima squamosa secretes a liquid of a blood-red 

 colour. J It is found at Malion, Minorca. 



Scalaria communis yields a purple liquor destruc- 

 tible by acids, and Planorbis corneus, a purplish fluid, 

 but it cannot be made of any use, though Lister tried 

 several experiments with the vain hope of being able 

 to fix it. 



In Spain, Murex trunculus is eaten, and is called, 

 Corns, Com blanc, Caracoles, Cornias, Bois, and Bucios; 



* Plutarch, Alex., c. 36, as quoted in ' Phoenicia,' by John Ken. 

 rick, M.A. 



f ' Subtropical Rambles,' by Nicholas Pike, p. 277. 

 I ' Journal cle Conchy liologie,' 18137 ; vol. xv. p. 265. 



