36 CLASS MOLLUSCA. 



species of buccinum on the sea-coasts of Somersetshire, 

 and the opposite coasts of South Wales. After many- 

 ineffectual endeavours, he discovered the colouring mat- 

 ter, placed in a white vein, lying transversely in' a little 

 furrow, or cleft, next to the head of the fish, " which," 

 says he, " must be digged out with the stiff point of 

 a horse-hair pencil, made short and tapering, by reason 

 of the viscous clamminess of the white liquor in the 

 vein, that so by its stiffness it may drive in the matter 

 into the fine linen or white silk intended to be marked." 

 Letters or marks, made in this way, with the white 

 liquor in question, " will presently appear of a pleasant 

 green colour, and, if placed in the sun, will change into 

 the following colours, — that is, if in Winter, about noon, 

 if in the Summer, an hour or two after sunrise, or so 

 much before setting, (for in the heat of the day, in 

 Summer, the colours will come so fast that the suc- 

 cession of each will scarce be distinguishable,) next to 

 the first light green will appear a deep green, and in a 

 few minutes this will change into a full sea-green, after 

 which, in a few minutes more, it will alter into a watchet 

 blue, and from that, in a little time more, it will be 

 of a purplish red, after which, lying an hour or two, 

 (supposing the sun still shining,) it will be of a 

 very deep purple red, beyond which the sun can do no 

 more," 



" But the last and most beautiful colour, after washing 

 in scalding water and soap, will (the matter being 'again 

 exposed to the sun or the wind to dry,) be a much differ- 

 ent colour from all those mentioned, that is, a fair bright 

 crimson, or near to the prince's colour, which afterwards, 

 notwithstanding there is no styptic to bind the colour, 

 will continue the same, if well ordered, as I have found 



