22 Shells as evidence of the Migrations. 
not take it entirely out of the shell, but only press it so as 
to cause a certain quantity to be ejected, with which the 
threads are dyed. The shells are then laid again on the 
stones from which they were taken. They recover, and 
after some time give a fresh quantity of juice, but not so 
much as the first time.” ™ 
Thomas Gage,” an earlier observer, gives an account 
as follows: “ About Chira, Golfo de Salinas, and Nicoya, 
there are some farms of Spaniards, few and very small 
Indian Townes, who are all like slaves employed by the 
Alcalde Maior, to make him a kind of thred called Pita 
[agave fibre], which is a very rich commodity in Spain, 
especially of that colour wherewith it is dyed in these 
parts of Nicoya, which is a purple colour ; for the which 
the Indians are here much charged to work about the 
Sea shore, and there to finde out certain shels wherewith 
they make this purple dye.” 
Of the process of purple dyeing as practised in more 
recent times by the natives of Nicaragua, Squier" gives us 
the following account: “ Some of the cotton fabrics manu- 
factured by the Indians are very durable and woven in 
tasteful figures of various colours. The colour most 
valued is the Tyrian purple, obtained from the murex 
shell-fish, which is found upon the Pacific Coast of 
Nicaragua. This colour is produced of any desirable 
depth and tone, and is permanent; unaffected alike by 
exposure to the sun and to the action of alkalies. The 
process of dyeing the thread illustrates the patient assi- 
'* Translation quoted by Dr. IE. Schunck in ** Notes on the Purple of 
the Ancients,” /eurn. Chem, Soc., xxxvii., 1880, 7rans., pp. 613-614. 
“’ The English-American, his Travail by Sea and Land: ete.,” 
London, 1648 (quoted by MacCurdy, Jem. Conn. Acad. Arts S* Sciences, 
iii, New Haven, March, 1911, p. 160). 
*' Nicaragua, its People, Scenery, Monuments, etc.,”’ 1852, vol. i., 
p- 286. 
