Shell-Trumpets and thetr Distribution. 47 
An interesting survival of this practise in Central 
America is recorded by Theobert Maler in his “ Researches 
in the Central Portion of the Usumatsintla Valley.”” On 
p. 33 of his paper he relates how his arrival at the Indian 
settlements at Petha was greeted by the blowing of conch- 
shell trumpets made from Strombus gigas. 
According to Pinart,” the musical instruments of the 
present natives (Guaymis) of the Chiriquian region of 
Panama are limited chiefly to the bone-flute and the 
marine conch-shell. He describes one of their ceremonies, 
the balza, in which the conch-shell plays an important 
role. When a village has decided to give a balzaria and 
the date has been fixed upon, notice is given to other 
villages inviting the inhabitants to attend. Everyone is 
invited, men and women, young and old. According to 
the distance away, each family group sets out in time to 
arrive at the place of meeting two days before the com- 
mencement of the ceremonies. During the journey, the 
invited guests blow from time to time on large conch- 
shells in order to make known to all persons living near 
the line of route their passage and the purpose of their 
journey. 
Pinart believes the Guaymis to be the descendants 
of the race that constructed the ancient huacals from 
which so many Chiriquian antiquities have come. This 
ancient race has left behind them numerous examples of 
wind-instruments of clay, modelled in the form of animals 
and birds. One of these figurines serving as a whistle 
represents a mythical form holding something resembling 
a fish or conch-shell a little distance from the mouth.” 
73 Memoirs Peabody Museum, ii., no. 1., 1901. 
74 Alphonse Pinart, ‘‘ Les Indiens de ]’Etat de Panama,” Rev. @ethnog., 
vi., 1887, pp. 33, 117, (quoted by Mac Curdy, ‘‘ A Study of Chiriquian 
Antiquities,” Memorrs Conn. Acad. Arts and Sctences, iii., 1911, pp. 169-170). 
75 Mac Curdy, of. cz¢., p. 185, fig. 315. 
