PERIWINKLE. 



29 



and cents — waxen. Both the generic and specific names of 

 the second refer to the peculiar conformation of the shell, 



CHINESE SPINDLE. 



being derived from the Latin, and meaning a straight line or 

 beak. 



On Plate III, will be fonnd the Imbricated Purpnrea, (P. im- 

 Iricafa,) Fig. 1, which claims a close alliance with the Whelks. 

 The generic name has reference to the dye yielded by this, as 

 well as all the shells of the genus; the specific name comes 

 from the Latin iiiihrex — the gutter- tile; thus imhricated, a term 

 often used in iS"atural History, means ridged, like the roof of 

 a house, where the tiles are placed to overlap each other, so 

 that the rain will run off. The Persian Purpura, or, as it is 

 called in Latin, Purpura Persica, Fig. 2, is another handsome 

 shell of this family group; its name indicates the place where 

 it is found. The other species described comes from South 

 America, and the P. lapillas, (the meaning of the specific name 

 has already been explained,) is common on our shores, being 

 found in great abundance on the rocks at low water. We read 

 in scripture, of Tyrian purple, and there is every reason to 

 suppose that the rich colour was obtained from these and other 

 shell- fish. 



PERIWINKLE. 



This is the commonest representative which w^e have of the 

 family Tm^Unidae, which comprehends, according 

 to Cuvier, all the species which have the shell 

 completely and regularly turbinated, that is, if 

 we translate the Latin word into English, twisted. 

 The little Periwinkle, (here he is, ) is by no means 

 a handsome moUusk, but some of his relatives 

 ^re very beautiful as we shall presently show. 



