18 Shells as evidence of the Migrations. 
to 18th centuries for marking linen in Somersetshire, 
Cornwall and other parts of England, as well as in Scot- 
land, France, Norway and other parts of Europe.” 
Purple robes were in frequent use in Ireland during 
ancient times. Inthe tale of Eithne and King Cormac, 
quoted by Whitley Stokes in his introduction to the Irish 
“ Tripartite Life of St. Patrick,” i., p. xxxviii., fifty maidens 
in purple mantles are mentioned. In the “ Book of 
Rights,” p. 65, cloaks trimmed with purple are noticed ; 
at p. 87, the King of Ara is said to be entitled to six 
purple mantles from the King of Erie; at p. 147, the 
stipend of the King of Ui Breasail includes three purple 
cloaks, We are told that Medb presented Ferdiad with 
a girsat cocra or purple waist scarf to induce him to fight 
Cuchulaind.” 
Apart from its use in the dyeing of fabrics, we find, 
in Miss Roberts’ work,” some interesting particulars as to 
the employment of Tyrian purple, in Britain and else- 
where, in dyeing parchments, or vellum. This was done 
for the purpose of rendering still more splendid the 
manuscripts, which were adorned with gold and silver 
letters. This magnificent and expensive style of writing 
on purple vellum was appropriated to Biblical manu- 
scripts, and the libraries of princes. As examples of this 
class of work we have the book of the Gospels, which 
Louis the Pious gave to the monastery of St. Medard, at 
Soissons, now in the royal library of France, and the 
Book of Prayers, bound in ivory, and studded with gems, 
formerly belonging to Charles the Bald, but now in the 
celebrated Colbertine Library. 
Similar manuscripts were also occasionally made in 
** See papers by Cole, Reaumur, du Hamel, Deshayes, and Lacaze- 
Duthiers, |. c. 
72 F. J. Bigger, Proc, Noy. Jrish Acad, 3rd ser., iii., 1896, p. 730. 
*® Roberts, of. ci/., pp. 123-4. 
