THE PURPURA OF THE ANIMALS. 109 



conchologist can sit down and peruse the fourth 

 chapter of the fourth book of the History of 

 Animals, and not wonder at the vast and minute 

 knowledge of the author, whilst he blushes for 

 his own ignorance. One of the most interesting 

 shell-fish there described is the Purpura, which 

 furnished the famous Tyrian dye. There can 

 be no doubt of this mollusk having been the 

 Murex trunculus of the moderns, a very abun- 

 dant species in the iEgean. Dr. Wilde, in the 

 narrative of his Mediterranean voyage, has given 

 an interesting account of his search for the 

 shells of the Purpura among the ruins of Tyre, 

 and of his finding heaps of the remains of the 

 Murex in question. Aristotle observed its 

 habits with care. He remarks that it scents its 

 prey from afar, and is taken by flesh-baits — just 

 as our own fishermen take its ally, the common 

 whelk, on the British coasts. He tells us that 

 it pierces shells with its trunk. Down to within 

 the last year or two this was believed by all 

 naturalists, and though usually stated as the 

 result of modern observation, was probably a 

 notion derived from the writings of the Stagyrite. 

 Recent researches, especially those of Mr. Han- 

 cock, would go far to shew that it is by means 



