318 THE TRUMPET SHELL. 



Zealand, and also in Japan. The fine Trumpet-shell is found 

 in most warm climates, in the African, the American, and 

 Asiatic seas, also on the coasts of the islands of the South 

 Pacific. 



An eminent writer, in speaking of the Tahitians, observes, 

 *^ The sound of the trumpet or shell used in war to stimulate 

 in action by the priests of the temple, and also by the herald, 

 and others on board their fleets, was more horrific than that 

 of the drum. The largest shells were usually selected for 

 this purpose, and were sometimes above a foot in length, 

 and seven or eight inches in diameter at the mouth. In 

 order to facilitate the blowing of this trumpet they made a 

 perforation, about an inch in diameter, near the apex of the 

 shell. Into this they inserted a bamboo cane about three 

 feet in length which was secured by binding it to the shell 

 with fine braid; the aperture was rendered air-tight by 

 cementing the outside of it with a resinous gum from the 

 bread-fruit tree. These shells were blown when a proces- 

 sion walked to the temple, or their warriors marched to 

 battle, at the inauguration of the king, during the worship 

 at the temple, or when a tabu or restriction was imposed in 

 the name of the gods. The sound is extremely loud, but the 

 most monotonous and dismal that it is possible to imagine." 



This is the shell generally represented by painters in the 

 hands of the *' Tritons '^or sea-monsters. 



In Ceylon shells of a certain kind are used to contain the 

 sacred oil for anointing the priests. On the western coasts 

 of South America there is a species of limpet which attains 

 the diameter of a foot, and the shell of which is employed 

 by the natives as a basin^ 



Another general application of shells is as weights to nets 

 and barbs for harpoons and hooks. 



To shell-fish, as articles of food, we have already alluded 

 with regard to the lobster, crab, oyster, mussel, etc. The 



