128 Mr. W. Clark on tlie Muricidse. 



scarcely have been from the Murex lapillus, the Purpura of au- 

 thoi's, as Lamarck's commentators say that that species does not 

 inhabit the Mediterranean — 



" Tyrioque ardebat Murice laena." 



"te bis Afro 



Murice tinctae 



Vestiunt lanae " 



" Vestes Gifitulo miirice tiuctas." 



From these quotations it appears that the costly purple dye was 

 an African production, and not obtained from the European coasts 

 of the Mediterranean. Horace mentions the Murex of the Italian 

 shores — 



" Murice Baiano melior Lucrina peloris." 



This Murex of the Baire may be our M. erinaceus, the M. un- 

 datus, Buccinum undatum, auctorum, or any other species ; it is 

 not spoken of in connection with a dye, but as an edible shell- 

 fish, inferior to the Peloris of the Lucrine lake : what this may 

 be is quite conjectural. 



It must have been observed that the descriptions of the nume- 

 rous Muricidal species are so similar as to give the idea of ringing 

 the changes on the various organs, and it would appear that we 

 have only exhibited the portraiture of a single similar animal in- 

 habiting all the species that have been mentioned. If this view 

 is acquiesced in, I shall have accomplished the object of my preli- 

 minary proposition, that the Linnajan genera Murex and Bucci- 

 num have been dismembered to an extent far beyond the require- 

 ments of the progress of science. 



I conclude by observing that it may be objected, that I have 

 dispensed with all considerations of the figure and markings of 

 the shell as contributing to generic distinction. I admit this posi- 

 tion, as I am of opinion that when the animals of a group are iden- 

 tical in essentials, the greater or less tumidity and the smooth or 

 varicose aspect of the external hard parts are only specific indices 

 arising from the various dispositions of the mucous glands of the 

 mantle. I consider the causes I have mentioned of the different 

 aspects of the shells inhabited by similar animals, in no other 

 light than the different aspects of the organs of the human race, 

 which arise from similar agents, as the ever-varying disposition 

 of the superficial veins, of the pores, absorbents and other emunc- 

 tories, combined with climate, food, and peculiar habits. 



With regard to malacology, I am strongly supported in these 

 opinions by having in my cabinet a large series of all the varie- 

 ties of the Murex undatus, Buccinum undatum, auctorum, in which 

 we see the smooth, thin, fragile, slender and fusiform varieties 

 shadowing gradually to their various forms, from the thick, 



