Appendix. 1 9c; 



the Yodda Valley, amoiis; the Antembo and other tribes, 

 the wooden trumpet is apparently used inore frequently 

 than the conch. "The ordinary conch shell trumpet 

 varies in size up to about 20 inches long and about 9 incites 

 across in the lar^rest part [apparently Triton tyitonis\ \ 

 hole from i inch to f inch in diameter is made about 

 3 inches from tlie apex. Over water the revcrberatine:^ 

 note can be heard a ver\' considerable distance." 



The details of the notation of trumpet blowing, given 

 b\' this writer, are of considerable interest. It is based 

 upon the long-short blast system ; and the significance 

 varies according to the district. Examples are given of 

 shell-trumpet calls from the Binandele tribes of the 

 Mamba and Gira rivers, the significance of which, accord- 

 ing to notation, are : " killing in a fight when in camp or 

 dancing"; "calling to a fight"; "conveying the news 

 of a death " ; " men are bringing a pig." The second 

 example, which consists of a " long blast, short, short, etc., 

 and repeat," is generally used nowadays " to call in the 

 people from their gardens, say, for example, on the arrival 

 of European or other strangers, or, again, half-a-dozen 

 long blasts may conve)' the news that a Govennnent 

 part)' or Europeans are approaching." 



The use of shell-trumpets, in Peru, Samoa, and else- 

 where, to herald the apprbach of some important per- 

 sonage, has already been described {antea pp. 45 and 46). 



It is important to note that the photograph of the 

 native blowing a wooden trumpet, reproduced by Beaver, 

 shows the man wearing a string of large white " cowries " 

 iOvuluvi ovuui). 



Erom Malinowski's recently published account of the 

 natives of Mailu Island, off the coast of New Guinea,'' it 

 is apparent that certain shells, including shell-trumpets, 

 play an important role in the " magico-religious " practices 

 of these people. More especially is this the case at the 

 Maduna'" or great annual feast of the Mailu, whicii is 

 connected, amongst other things, with agricultural activi- 

 ties. Elaborate preparations are made, and a number of 



•' Trans, and Froc. Roy. Soc. S. Australia, xxxix., Dec, IQ15, pi>. 494 

 seq. 



'" Maciiina means distribution, Uie allusion being to the (Jistril)uti<>ii of 

 foods whicii forms an essential fcatuie of tlie proceedinf;* (Malinowski, 

 p. 665). 



