BOOK I X .] History of Nature. 1 59 



Water they die, and so also if they are plunged into a River; 

 otherwise, after they are taken, they will continue alive fifty 

 Days in their own slimy Humour. All Shell-fish grow very 

 rapidly, but Purpurse remarkably so ; for in one Year they 

 come to their full Size. Now if I should proceed no further, 

 Luxury would think itself defrauded, and condemn me for 

 Negligence. Therefore we will follow the Subject into the 

 Shops, that as every Man for the Necessity of this Life 

 knoweth the Price of Victuals, all who take Pleasure in 

 these Things may be well versed in the Costs of this their 

 Existence. These Shell-fishes that serve for purple Colours, 

 and the Conchylia, all consist of one Material : the Differ- 

 ence is only in the mixing. They are of two principal Sorts. 

 The Buccinum is a smaller Shell, resembling that Horn with 

 which Sound is uttered ; and from this it took its Name. 

 The round Orifice is cut in at the Edges. The other is 

 named Purpura, protrudes a long Snout like a Channel, and 

 within the Side of this Channel it is tubulated, to allow a 

 Passage for the Tongue. Besides this the Shell is studded as 

 far as to the Wreathe with sharp Spines, in about seven 

 Rows, placed in a Circle; which the Buccinum doth not 

 possess. But so many Circles as each of them has, so 

 many Years old they are. The Buccinum fastens to Nothing 

 besides Rocks, and therefore is gathered about rough 

 Places. 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 

 How many Sorts there are. 



PuRPUR2E have another Name, and are called Pelagiae. 

 There are many Sorts of them, which differ either in their 

 Situation or Food. The first is the Lutense, nourished by 

 rotten Mud : the Algense, the worst of all, feeding upon Sea- 

 weeds close to the Shore ; and the Taeniens^, which is better 

 than either of the former, and is gathered about the Borders 

 of the Sea called Tenci. And yet this Kind yieideth only a 

 light and diluted Colour. There are also some termed Cal- 

 culosae, from the Sea-gravel, which is wonderfully good for 



