16 JACKSON, Distribution of the Shell-Purple Industry. 



condition and associated with other edible kinds, bones 

 of animals, stone implements, and flint flakes, have since 

 been noticed by several observers round the Donegal coast 

 in sites similar to those at Dogs Bay. 



Regarding the Dogs Bay discovery, F. J. Bigger, one 

 of the 1895 party, writes: 61 "Shells of this species, either 

 whole or broken, had seldom been observed among other 

 remains in sandhills, and certainly never in any quantity ; 

 but here there was a large heap, all broken, which seemed 

 to have the same connection with the sites as the shells of 

 the other species." 



Enquires were made in the neighbourhood as to 

 whether the Purpura was now used for any purpose, but 

 not even the oldest inhabitant could recollect hearing of 

 its being used as food, or bait, or in any way whatever. 



Large quantities of broken shells of Purpura lapillus, 

 together with rounded pebbles of quartz, large enough 

 to break them, have also been found by the Rev. R. 

 Ashington Bullen in " Kitchen-middens," close to the 

 Late-Celtic cemetery, at Harlyn Bay, North Cornwall. G2 



These discoveries of broken Purpura shells in the 

 British Isles have led to much discussion as to the possi- 

 bility of their use as food like the other associated species. 

 This question, however, has been ably dealt with by 

 Standen and Bigger, who point out the unsuitability of 

 this species either for food or bait, whereas the associated 

 species, Patella and Littorina, may be used for either 

 purpose. They suggest, therefore, that the Purpura shells 

 may have been broken in order to extract the animal for 

 the rich purple it affords. A similar suggestion is put 

 forward by the Rev. R. Ashington Bullen. 03 



01 Proc. Roy. Irish Academy, 3rd Ser., v., 1 899, p. 437. 

 62 Proc. Malac. Soc, v., 1902, p. 185, and Trans. S. Eastern Union 

 of Sci. Soc. 1903. 

 1J :; Ibid. 



