101 



It is stated in a former page of this work, that the Romans obtained 

 their celebrated dye, from the expressed juice of the llurex trunculus, inlia- 

 biting tlie Mediterranean and shores of Tyre ; the Murex hrandaris seems 

 also to have been called into requisition for this purpose, and M. Deshayes 

 attempts to show that remains of this species, in consolidated heaps, are 

 still to be found on the coast, denoting ancient stations for the extraction 

 of purple."^ 



The genus Murex includes many species of more or less rarity ; of these 

 the M. bipimiatus and clavus are distinguished by an elongated peculiarity 

 of growth different from that of any other kind ; the M. spinicostata is a 

 species of rare occurrence in fine condition ; the M. monodon remarkable on 

 account of the elegantly prolonged curvature of the fronds. The M. alabaster 

 of which only a single specimen has been seen, is a huge curiosity of its 

 kind and forms a striking contrast, in comparison with the refined dispo- 

 sition of sculpture in the M.fenestratus ; the M. Stahifort/iii must not be 

 omitted in this category of rarities, nor the M. crispafus, both of which 

 species are equally distinguished for the peculiar and manifold beauty of 

 the fronds. Among the canaliculated species the M. trigomiliis, elegans and 

 motacilla are worthy of notice ; the M. Zelandicus, florifer, rubridentatus, 

 territus and eiirypteron are of diversified beauty and interest ; whilst among 

 the smaller gems of the genus may be enumerated the M. hexagomis, ma- 

 cropteron, Norrisii, gravidm, octogoims, cirrosus, and a few others. 



The Murices are very generally distributed throughout the regions of 

 animal Life ; they are represented on our own shores by the 31. erinacetis 

 and in the Mediterranean by one or two small species in addition to those 

 just spoken of; in California by the magnificent M. erythrodoma, and in 

 Panama by the M. regius whose meretricious glow of colours and elaborate 

 structure have long rendered it an object of attraction to the amateur. In 

 the Eastern Seas we find the noble M. ramosus and saxatilis in abundance, 

 with numerous other species, among which the well-known ' Venus's comb ' 

 M. temdspina, in wliich all deficiency of beauty in colour is so fully com- 

 pensated by the delicacy and extraordinary character of its structure. 



The following list of species are described and illustrated iu the ' Con- 

 ch ologia Iconica\ 



* " Numerous dissertations upon the Purple of the ancients have served to show that the colour 

 the most esteemed was obtained fi'om the Murex hrandaris. Rondelet was the first to hold this 

 opinion, and it has been singulai'ly confinned in recent times by the reseai'ches of our learned 

 friend M. Boblaye. Forming part of the scientific expedition to the Morea, he was astonished to 

 find, in places not very remote from the sea, considerable heaps of the remains of this single 

 species, Murex hrandaris ; he at first regarded them as evidences of some geological phenome- 

 non, but upon a careful examination of the places and accompanying circmnstances, he disco- 

 vered that these depots of fragments of shell were always situated in the vicinity of some ancient 

 ruins, among wliich suflicient vestiges were to be found of their having been formerly stations 

 for the manufacture of Pui'plc". — Anim. sans, vert. v. ix. p. 550. 



