Use of Co7f)) -sJiel/s for L in rcinj, Aiiiu/cls, elc. \('>'j 



(listribiited over India, not only oxer the plains of the 

 wovih and north-west, but also aIon<^ the east coast and 

 even to the slo[)es of the IIiinahi\-as and to the Dcccaii 

 plateau.''' 



Besides their use as nione\- in India the same shells 

 are emplo\-ed to ornament the trap[)in<^"s of hcjrscs and 

 elephants, as previous!}- remarked. They are also strun;^ 

 like beads or sewed like buttons on the dresses of the 

 Brinjari women of Xagpur province.''"' AccordinL:^ to Dr. 

 Curt I^oeck, they are traded in Indian bazaars, cspeciall\' 

 for bordering the cloth-masks of shamans.'" In many 

 Indian places, r.i^:, Gahsi, Punjab, one still finds ('. mniuliis 

 worn !))• the native wcjmeii. The Todas of the Xilgiri 

 Hills, S. India, wear a C. iiuvwla on a heav\' silver collar 

 (Schneider, r'/. (7/., p. 117). According to Thurston, this 

 same species is also worn by Toda women on their thread 

 and silver armlets and necklets. As in Africa, cowries 

 are associated with Toda death ceremonies. When <i 

 person dies, various objects such as rice, honew antl other 

 food-stuffs, together with cowries, " with which to purchase 

 food in the celestial bazar," are burned with him. Like 

 the Todas, the Kotas of the Xilgiris occasionally make u.sc 

 of cowries ; the\' are sometimes seen on the necklets of 

 the women ; and at funeral ceremonies when the skulls of 

 the decea.sed are brought to the funeral ground to be burnt, 

 a pole, twent)' feet long, decorated with c(jwries, is also 

 burned in the ca.se of a male. The Nilgiri Irula women, too, 

 sometimes have bead necklets with cowr)-shelIs pendent.''^ 



'-* Schneider, £?/>. (vV., p. ill. 



'•'•'' Stearns, " Etlino-coiich(jl(.i;y— A Study of I'riiniliw Montx," 

 Report U. S. Xal. A/iis., 1887, \\ 302. 



'■■'■ .Schneidc-i'. op. lil.. pp. 116-7. 



' ■" E. TluirsKin. Mailra.i CiOViniiiiiii/ Mu eiiniy /iii.'ictiii .\c. 4, iS't". 

 pp. 154, 174 iTiulas), 192. 198 (Kolas) ; v.il. ii., .N... 1.. 1S97.PI'- I4:ind 10. 

 pi. V. (Iiula.s). 



