S/ic/l- TriiDipcts ami their Distrih/ition. 67 



tells that ill the New Hebrides there is a tradition that 

 tlie first woman sprant^ from a cowry-shell ; there is also 

 a family named aftei" the Octopus. 



Nor is this strani:^e "Shell-God " idea confined to the 

 l-'ar East. There is the ancient legend of the birth of 

 Wmius from a sea-shell. Tlie representation of shells on 

 the coins of ancient nations"" affords evidence of the 

 prevalence of similar ideas in the Mediterranean region. 

 Even in the Christian architecture of this city the same 

 curious symbolism is depicted. In an account on the 

 "Misereres in Manchester Cathedral,"'-" the Rev. E. E. Letts 

 figures and de.scribes a series of elaborate carvings under 

 the stall seats portraying numerous fabulous animals in a 

 variet}' of ingenious and grotesque forms. Included 

 amongst them is one carving of peculiar interest from its 

 bearing upon the matter under discussion. This singular 

 subject is to be seen on the under-master's stall, and re- 

 presents a mermaid or female child emerging from a 

 conch-shell and in the act of thrusting a spear down the 

 throat of a terrible horned dragon, whose agony is well 

 represented in the convolutions of its tail. Letts saj's : 

 " I find the subject of children emerging from shells and 

 fighting beasts is a common one, and represents purit\- 

 conquering sin." 



Another remarkable association of the conch-shell 

 and the dragon is to be seen as the crest over a coat of 

 arms of Robert \''cnab!es, of Antrobus, 1663 (also 1566 

 and 1580); but here it is the dragon which is emerging 

 from the mouth of the shell. This is figured by W. H. 

 Rylands in a communication on " Some Cheshire Heraldic 

 Documents, from the Ashmole Manuscript.s."''' 



' ''■• The shells on these coins iimloul^tedly re])re.sent .sacred oljjecl.s and 

 the symbol a cult. 



'-" Traits. Laui. aiidC/iesh. .Iniiq. .So,., vol. iv.. 1S86, p. 142. 



^-' Traits. Jlisl. .Soc. Lane, and dies., vol. Ixii. (X.S. vol. xxvi.)., 

 Liverpool, 191 1, p. 122. 



