Geographical Distribution of tJie Shell-Purple Industry- 5 



shire, South Wales, and Ireland, in the course of which he 

 discovered the curious photogenetic properties of the 

 colour. These experiments were continued by other 

 observers, including Reaumur/ du Hamel,'' Deshayes," and 

 Lacaze-Duthiers.' The general concensus of opinion on 

 the question is that the ' purpura ' of Pliny is the Murex 

 trunculus, or the M. branderis, of modern conchologists, 

 while the ' buccinum ' of the Roman naturalist is probably 

 the Purpicra hcemastoma, all three species being common 

 to the Mediterranean shores. The Purpura lapillus., so 

 abundant on the shores of Europe generally, is also likely 

 to have been employed in the production of the inferior 

 sort of purple. 



The Jfurex-sheW is almost constantly in evidence as 

 a design upon Tyrian coins from A.D. II2 onwards. The 

 shell here is quite distinct from the so-called "Murex" of 

 pre-Alexandrine coins {circa 450-400 B.C.). The latter is 

 not a Murex at all, but is more like a Triton, or trumpet- 

 shell ; and the same shell appears on the coins of Byblus 

 {c. 350 B.C.) and of Tarentum (c. 400-330 B.C.). The 

 Murex of the imperial coins of Tyre (A.D. 112 on) is 

 distinctly like Murex branderis, one of the chief purple- 

 yielding shells. 



Whether the design of the Murex (and so-called 

 Murex) on these coins had primarily any connection with 

 the purple-trade of Tyre is doubtful, though this has befen 

 suggested by leading authorities. 



*' A'Uiii. ik t Acad, des Sciences, 171 1, pp. 168-199 (Keaumur also 

 accidentally discovered that the egg-capsules of Ptt7pura afforded the dye 

 in greater abundance, and with less trouble, than the animal itself). 



° loid. 1736, pp. 49-68. 



" " MoUusques de la Mediterranee," in " L' Exped. Scient. de Moree, 

 Section des Sciences physiques," iii., Paris, 1832, pp. 189-192. 



•' Proc. Roy. Soc. Land., x. , i860, pp. 579-584; also .inn. des Sci. 

 Nat, Zool., xii., 1859, pp. 5-84, and plate. 



