107 



animal of Turho clathrus, but it communicates its very cHf- 

 agreeable odour to it mofl copioufly, fo that opening the 

 bottle has been more powerful in its effedls on the olfadlory 

 nerves, than the effluvia of aflafoetida, to wliich it may be 

 compared.* All the markings which had been alkalized, 

 and acidulated, together with thofe to which nothing had 

 been applied, became, after wafliing in soap and water, 'of 

 an iiniforjn colour, rather brighter than before, and were 

 fixed at a fine unchangeable crimfon. 



As the flain given by this animal fluid is, as far as our ex- 

 perience has gone, indeftru6lible, attempts were mac^e to col- 

 le6t a quantity for the purpofe of marking linen, when frefh 

 fliells could not be procured. Many fiiells were broken, all 

 of which were more or lefs pofTefled of the colouringyJ/f^M^ ; 

 this was, by means of a pair of fine pointed fciflars, extract- 

 ed with as little of the adjoining flefh as pofTible, and ground 

 on a piece of plate glafs, with a few drops of fpring water. 

 Thus prepared of a proper confiflency, it was of a dull 

 green colour, which it continued for a confiderable time in 

 bulk ; but fome which was fpread thin changed to its ulti- 

 mate colour in the courfe of the day, without the afllftance of 

 the fun, though we have found it continue many days in its 

 premature green, if light has been excluded. Some of this 

 matter when thoroughly dry taken up by a hair pencil, dip- 

 ped in water, and applied to linen, was by the afTiftance of the 

 fblar rays fpeedily turned to dull purple, and afterwards, by 

 » ■ - » ' 1. 



* foil a further account of the colouring matter see Turbo clathrus. 



O 2 walhing 



