138 CONCHOLOGIST’S COMPANION. 
The Purpura lives on other fish. It usually hides 
itself at a small depth in the sand, sometimes even in 
fresh-water rivers; and as it lies hid, it thrusts up a 
pointed tongue, which wounds and kills such dimi- 
nutive fish and animalcule as heedlessly approach 
too near. Sea shells are frequently found perforated 
with round holes, as regularly as if made with a 
boring instrument; these are generally supposed to 
be formed by the tongue of the Purpura, in order to 
its feeding on the fish within. 
Shell-fish yielding the Tyrian dye, have also been 
discovered on the Somersetshire coast, and in South 
Wales, where they are used by the country people for 
staining their linen. ‘These are the Murex and Buc- 
cimum, common deposits of the ocean, on the shores 
of the Principality. Beautiful specimens of each 
are frequently brought from among the magnificent 
arcades, which the incessant toiling of the waves have 
excavated in the rocks of Gower, a romantic little 
peninsula in Glamorganshire, and as much distin- 
guished for the primitive simplicity, politeness, and 
intelligence of its singular inhabitants, as for the 
grandeur of the sea views, ancient castles, and beau- 
tiful home scenes, with which it is surrounded and 
diversified. 
The Buccinum undoubtedly suggested the first idea 
of a trumpet, as by breaking off, or making a hole 
