UNIVALVE MOLLUSCANS. 299 



that the die lies between the neck and what 

 he denominates the poppy. It is found, by 

 Cuvier, to be placed above the neck by the 

 side of the stomach. Plunder relates that a 

 shell-fish of this genus squirts out its fluid in 

 a stream, whenever molested, which renders 

 it probable that its object is defence. 



Aristotle mentions the operculum of the pur- 

 ple, and also the proboscis, or tongue as he calls 

 it, which he describes as longer than the finger, 

 and protruded from under the operculum, with 

 this it feeds, and with it can pierce shells, and 

 will attack even those of its own kind; this 

 agrees with modern observations, adding that 

 the tongue is terminated by a sucker armed 

 with short tentacles. Aristotle also observes, an 

 observation confirmed likewise by modern inves- 

 tigators, that these animals bury themselves in 

 the sand like the pectens. This learned na- 

 turalist also states that shell-fish at certain 

 seasons hide themselves, snails in the winter* 

 and the purples and whelks for a month during 

 the dog days. 



The die of the purple is mentioned in scrip- 

 ture as well as that of the coccus, and was used 

 as such in the time of Moses. It is said also 

 to be used at this time in India and America 

 to dye small pieces of stuff, but in no place is 

 it an important object. 



Having given so long an account of the rock- 



