158 History of Nature. [BooK IX. 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 

 The Nature of the Purpura* and the Murex. 



PURPURJE, for the most Part, live seven Years. They 

 lie hid for thirty Days about the rising of the Dog Star, like 

 the Murices. They collect together in the Spring, and with 

 rubbing one against another they spit a clammy Substance, 

 in the Manner of Wax. The Murices do the like. But that 

 Bloom which is so much in request for dyeing Garments the 

 Purpurse have in the midst of their Throat. Here is placed 

 a white Vein, containing a very little Fluid ; from whence 

 is derived that precious and bright Colour of deep red 

 (Nigrantis) Roses. The Rest of the Body yieldeth Nothing. 

 Fishermen endeavour to take them alive, for when they die 

 they cast up that Juice with their Life. Now the Tyrians, 

 when they obtain any great Purpurse, remove the Shell from 

 the Flesh ; but the lesser, they break in a Mill, and so at 

 last collect that Humour. This is the best in Asia ; but in 

 Africa, that in the (Island) Meninx, and the Coast of the 

 Ocean by Getulia ; and in Europe, that o^f Laconica. It is 

 for this the Roman Fasces and Axes make Way ; this is it 

 that stands for the Majesty of the Childhood; this maketh 

 the Distinction between the Senate and a Knight ; this is 

 summoned when they offer Sacrifice to pacify the Gods : this 

 giveth a Lustre to every Garment ; and in their triumphal 

 Procession it is interlaced with the Gold. It is thus that the 

 Madness after the Purpurse is to be excused. But how 

 should the Conchylia be so highly prized? What strong 

 Smell in the rank Colour, so harsh a Colour in the blue, 

 and resembling rather the angry Sea? But to come to the 

 particular Description. The Purpura hath a Tongue the 

 length of a Finger, so sharp and hard at the End that it 

 pierces into other Shell-fishes, and feeds on them. In fresh 



1 This name included more than one species ; but more particularly it 

 is the Murex trunculus, Guv. Conchylia : a name for Bivalve shells in 

 general. The Buccinum may be our common Whelk. Wern. Clul. 



