96 LESSON XI. 



and truncated ; the colour of this shell varies 

 greatly, it is sometimes of an uniform whiteness, 

 sometimes pale yellow brown, pale red, nearly 

 black, and sometimes the whorls are of one of 

 these colours, and the foliations of another. Its 

 dimensions also are very different ; it varies from 

 two to five inches, and is about half as broad. 



This Murex belongs to the shells called Pur- 

 purse. An expression of Yirgil implies that the 

 Tyrian dye was extracted from this shell in his 

 time : He says, " glowing with Tyrian Murex." 

 The Tyrians were the most successful among 

 the ancients in preparing and using this cele- 

 brated colour. The Mediterranean supplied 

 them with the mollusca in abundance, and in 

 order to produce the tint that was in highest esti- 

 mation, a bath of the liquid extracted from the 

 animal of the Murex was prepared. In this they 

 steeped the wool for a certain time ; when taken 

 out they immersed it in another boiler, which 

 contained an extract from the Buccinum alone. 

 Wool which had been subjected to this double 

 process was so highly valued, that in the reign 

 of Augustus each pound of it sold for about ^36 ; 

 nor shall we wonder at its being valued at such 

 an enormous price, when it is recollected that 

 only a single drop of the colouring fluid is af- 

 forded by each animal. 



This beautiful and precious colour was held 

 in the highest estimation by the ancients, and in 

 some countries it was consecrated to sacred 

 uses. Moses, under divine instruction, used 

 purple stuffs for the furniture of the tabernacle, 



