274 The Natural Fiflory of ibe Book IX. 
other Marks, a diftinguifbing Note and Sign of the Murex, properly fo 
called. For Piimy (p) aflures us, there are only two Kinds or Genus’s of 
the Purple-Fifb ; and that, from the different Mixture of the refpedctive 
uices of each, the various Sorts of Purp!e were made. “ 
The Colour therefore of the Flos or Tin@ture is another favourable Cir- 
cumftance, which ftrengthens our Comparifon, and renders it probable, 
that the Barbados Conch, we are now treating of, is the Murex of the An-. 
tients. And here we defire the Reader to recolle@ another Particular in. , 
the forementioned Story, which mutt not be omitted : It is this; TheLady 
required, that Hercules thould prefent her with a Veft or Garment of as 
beautiful and lively a Colour, as that, which he then faw on the Dog’s Fi 
Lips (9). 
This Purple-Juice is. repofited in a fmall tranfparent Bag, or rather : 
Vein, on the Back of the Fifh, not far from the Head. And when it is 
taken with a Pencil or otherwife from the Vein, the Shell being broken, 
it is of the Confiftence of a thin Cream, of a yellow-greenith Colour ; 
{melling raw, and very difagreeably ; and the Wool, Cotton, or Linen, 
that hath been foaked in this Liquor a few Hours, afterwards affumes a h 
-deep fearlet Hue. But what -fhall we fay is the Reafon, why: this fame sh 
Liquor, when transfufed or ejected through the Mouth of the living Fith, 
dyes the Hand of him who plucks it from the Rock, immediately 2 Is it be- ¢ 
caufe, when the Juice is percolated or ftrained through the Vein by the : 
ving Fith, it is mixed with fome other Liquor, that accelerates this Al- Pr 
teration of Colours? Or becaufe, when the Fith is dead, the Fils is itfelf 
debilitated ; becaufe lefs vigorous and able to exert its extraordinary Vir- de 
tue? Whatever be the Caufe, the Faét is certain: For the Liquor, when fic 
emitted by the Fith, immediately ftains the Hand ; but when taken out ee 
of the Vein of the dead Fith, it is /ame time before the Wool receives the th 
Tindture. % 
But though we are not able to account for this fudden Tran/iutation of sh 
Colour; yet the UW of it arifing to the Fith itfelf we think is evident 3 th 
and affords us a frefh Inftance of the Wifdom and Contrivance cf the . 
great Creator; who hath hereby furnifhed the Murex with the Means of 8 
: Ca 
§e 
(¢) Concharum, ad purpuras 8 conchylia, eadem quidem off materia ; Jed diftat tempe- 
ee Duo funt genera, Buccinum minor Concha alterum Purpura vocatur, Lib. a 
(@) i illius labris fplendidiorem, fays P. Vergil. ibid. RONG 
~ (7) Buccinum fer fe damnatur, quia fucum remittit. Plinii L. ix. C. 38. t 
(s) Athenaus, from Ariftotle, fays, dive Hécoy TE pjnovos x TE roayqre dvbos Exeow, oe 
ab, it. C. 11, Myxov, or Papaver, is rd ei]ds +& ixbtoc, internum, Jeuintefinum pifcis, as he ¢ 
acquaints us from Epenetus, ibid. Pliny fays, the Flos lies in medits faucibus ; which his & 
Annotator corrects, ‘and fays, inter hec [viz. cervicem & papaver) fupra ventrem flos uv 
Situs ef, Liix, C. 36, . 2 a 
t 
fecuring 
