1 ew 
buried in deep mud. Large good-conditioned sinistral 
shells, obtained alive and therefore of good colour, still 
command high rates—anything from Rs. 4oo to Rs. 5,000 
or more, so infrequently are they found. 
The method of estimating the approximate value of 
these latter shells is as follows :—If the shell be of 100 
rupees’ weight or over (one standard rupee coin weighs 
exactly one tola, 24 tolas = one ounce) the value is cal- 
culated at the rate of Rs. 50 per tola or rupee’s weight ; 
thus a shell of 110 rupees’ weight would be estimated 
according to this methodat Rs. 5,500. When the weight 
is between 30 and 100 tolas then the rate per tola may 
be taken at Rs. 30 to 4o per tola according to size and 
quality ; a 50 tola weight shell would be worth from 
Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 2,000. If of 25 tolas weight, the rate 
may vary from Rs. 5 to Rs. 20 per tola. 
Wealthy Hindu Rajas and Zamindars also aspire to 
possess these sacrosanct shells, the orthodox in order that 
they may use them to perform adeyshekam * in their 
family shrine and others for the ostentatious pride of 
possession and because of the superstition generally 
current which accounts the ownership of a Valampuri 
chank as conferring prosperity upon the household where 
it resides. I know also a wealthy Muhammadan 
Marakayar who has refused offers of several hundreds 
of rupees for one of these shells; to him the shell is a 
mascot, the bringer of good luck. 
_ Among the ignorant who usually have never even 
seen a Valampuri chank, the belief is prevalent in Tamil 
South India that it blows of its own accord during the 
night ; even the Roman Catholic chank divers of Tuti- 
corin entertain this quaint superstition, and say that the 
shell is specially clamorous on Tuesday and Friday 
nights! A yogi when controlling or retaining his breath 
is also credited with hearing the sound of a Valampuri 
chank blowing within his abdomen though why the 
rumbling should be that of a Valampuri and not of an 
ordinary chank is hard to answer. 
Worship of the chank as one of the three essential 
articles used in domestic worship among Brahmans 
should occupy an important part in the daily liturgy of 
* The worship of the gods with libations, 
