514 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [November, 1910. 



Cypraea moneta, Linn. 



Vern. : — Cowri, sipi, Hind. ; Codi, Guz. ; Beya, Beng. ; 

 Kywepek, Burm. ; Sadaf, wuda, Arab. ; Khar mahra, Pers. ; Vara- 

 tika beya, Sans. 



A species of Gyprcea is collected on the sea shore, and the 

 shells are sold in Mandalay as a remedy for venereal diseases. 



Fasciolaria spp. 



• • 



The Operculum. 



Vern. : — Nakh, Sita-nuk, Hind. ; Nakhla, Mar. ; Nakhun, 

 Pers. and Punj.; Azfar-ut-tib , Arab.; Unguis odoratus, Unguis 

 dcemoni, Lat. ; Onyx, Greek ; Schecheleth, Heb. ; Scented nails, 

 Eng. 



The operculum of Fasciolaria trapezium and other species 

 of tulip shells and perhaps of other Muricidse is a perfume and 

 medicine of very ancient use. It is now recognized as the 

 origin of onychia, one of the ingredients of the sacred incense 

 of the tabernacle (Exodus xxx. 34). It was the Blatta 

 Bizantia of Eastern Europe, and was quoted by Dioscorides as 

 Onyx "quod in India nardiferis paludibus invenitur." and 

 described their properties. Avicenna in his Canon describes 

 several varieties of Azfar-ut4ib. Linneus ascribed the origin 

 to Strombus lentiginosus . Rumphius enumerates ten kinds of 

 odoriferous onyx which serve as the basis of the principal 

 perfumes of the Indian Islands {Herb. Amb., 11, C. 17). The 

 perfume is developed by heating. The nails are powdered and 

 mixed w T ith oil and fried, and the mixture is applied to the 

 body or head as a cosmetic. In medicine the operculum is 

 prescribed by Hakims in epilepsy and hysteria. 



Azfar ut-tib as sold in the bazars is a thick horny dark- 

 brown, claw-like, ovate opercule, one inch broad by 1% inch 

 long, on its outer face are many concentric lines surrounding a 

 sub-apical nucleus, in the inner face the concentric lines are 

 finer with a broad smooth glossy swelling along its outer 

 margin. Chamra nuk is the bazar name for the operculum 

 with a part of the flesh of the mollusc attached. The opercula 

 are very albuminous and contain about two per cent, of ash ; 

 they evolve pyrrhol when submitted to destructive distillation. 



The drug is imported into Bombay from Aden and Zanzi- 

 bar and is valued at one rupee per pound. 



Pteroceras lambis, Linn. . . . . Spider Claw. 



Vern. : — Khaya-thin, Burm. 



These shells obtained from Mergui and Tavoy are sold in 

 Moulmein. They are given in the form of a paste mixed with 

 other articles in diabetes. 



Turbinella rapa, Lam. . . .. The Conch shell. 



Vern. :—Shankha, shenkham, Sans. ; Sukk 7 Duk. ; Sankha, 

 Guz. and Tarn. 



