126 Shells as evidence of the Migrations. 
Gulf of Aden) to Mozambique. As currency these shells — 
circulate not only through Southern Asia and certain of 
the Pacific Islands, but far into the African continent. 
The term cowry, cowrie, or gowrie, is said by Dr. J. 
Cosmo Melvill* to be derived from a Greek word meaning 
“a little pig,” and according to Liddell and Scott this was 
probably the shell used by the Athenian dicasts in voting. 
“Following the example of the Greeks, the Romans 
termed these little shells porcz or porcu/?, whilst the French 
nowadays term them fou de mer ; and in the word porcelain 
we can also trace the same derivation” (Melvill, p. 186). 
Deniker,’ however, says the term cowry, cowrie, or cauri, 
appears to be a corruption of the Sanskrit word Kaparda, 
whence Kavari in the Mahrattan. Murray’s dictionary‘ 
gives the Hindi and Urdii equivalents as Aaur7 (or Kaudi?). 
In Monier Williams’ “ Sanskrit-English Dictionary ”* the 
following interpretations are given: “ Aafarda, as: a small 
shell or cowrie used as a coin and as a die in gambling, ’ 
Cyprea moneta ; braided and knotted hair, especially that 
of S‘iva (knotted so as to resemble the cowrie shell). 
Kapardin, i, ini, i: shaggy ; wearing braided and knotted 
hair like a cowrie shell; epithet of Rudra, of Pishan, of 
the descendants of Vasishtha and of Durga; (i) name of 
S‘iva; name of one of the eleven RKudras.” 
The Portuguese called the cowry Boudji or Bought ; 
the inhabitants of the Maldives, Po/r; the Siamese, Bios 
(which means shell in general in Thai). By the Arabs it 
is known under the name ouoadda or vadaat (Deniker, 
op. cit.). 
+ J.C. Melvill, ‘* A Survey of the genus Cypraea,” Memoirs and Proc. 
Manch. Lit. & Phil. Soc., 4th Ser., vol. 1. (1887-8), pp. 184-252. 
® Deniker, ‘‘ Races et peuples de la Terre,” Paris, 1900, p. 324 foot- 
note. 
* Murray, ** New English Dictionary.” 
* Oxford, 1872, p. 201. 
