wafliing with foap, to a crimfon, not much inferior in colour 

 to tlic recent dye, but never fo ftrong. 



Whetlier the colouring matter of this fpecies was ever 

 ufed by the ancients, is to be doubted, fmce fo fmall a quan- 

 tity is produced by each animal. 



We are informed tliatfome Spanifli philofopher difcovered 

 a fliell on the coaft of Guayaquil and Guatimala, in Peru, that 

 produced a purple dye. All the defcription we have of this 

 Ihell is, that it is the fize of a walnut, and that the dye, 

 fimilar to that of Buccinum lapillus, changes from white to 

 green, and is not purple till dry ; the method however of 

 extra61:ing it clearly proves it to be very diftin6l from that fpe. 

 cies. The operation is performed eitiier by killing and prefl- 

 inc the animal, or by drawing it partly out of the Ihell and 

 fqueezing is made to yield the fluid which ferves for dyeing t 

 this is repeated four times at different intervals, but always 

 with lefs fuccefs. If continued the animal dies. No colour 

 at prefent known, fays the Abbe Raynal, can be compared 

 to this, either as to luftre, livelinefs, or duration.* 



We ftrongly recommend the ufe of this fecretion for the 

 purpofe of marking, where an indelible dye is defirable ; let- 

 ters marked on linen or other articles of wearing apparel 

 from the recent animal, appear indeftru61:ible, bidding de- 

 fiance to chemical procefs ; as fuch it may be rendered ex- 

 iremely ufeful with very little trouble, almofl every indivi- 



* Ericj/dopxdia Bntcwnha, Article Mures, 



dual 



