166 



THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 



(C. lampas) made an effective trumpet. 

 Probably in prehistoric times its use 

 was general throughout the Meditei'- 

 ranean area. The sound which it pro- 

 duced has been compared to the bray- 

 ing of an ass. A century ago, at Nice, 

 Verany relates, disapproval of the mar- 

 riages of unpopular or ill-assorted 

 couples was expressed by a deafening 

 serenade of lampas trumpets. This is 

 the shell which in groups of statuary the 

 impish dolphin riders hold to their 

 mouths. 



A water-carrier made from a Giant Whelk 

 (Megalatr actus aruanus), WeUesley Islands, 

 Gulf of Carpentaria. In grasping the carrier 

 the thumb fits into the hole shown in the 

 illustration. 



From the Fly River in New Guinea 

 the missionary Chalmers collected a 

 trumpet made from the giant whelk 

 (31 egalatr actus aruanus). This shell 

 was also employed as a water carrier as 

 shown in the accompanying photograph. 



Tn old Fiji, a more elaborate trumpet 

 was made from the giant frog-shell 

 {Bursa bubo). A strap of thick coir 

 rope was fastened to the anterior end 

 and served as a handle for the trum- 

 peter when grasping his instrument and 

 also to hang it up on the wall when not 



I'lioti 



T. Wliitelearge. 



A trumpet made from the Helmet Shell (Cassis 

 cornuta), Funafuti, Central Pacific. 



Photo. — G. C. Cluttou. 



in use. The apex was l)roken off for a 

 mouth piece and a second small hole 

 was cut near the natural aperture. The 

 bugler varied the notes of his call by 

 stopping the small hole with his finger 

 as in blowing a fiute. 



A smaller whelk {Fasciolaria filamen- 

 tosa) was made into a shell trumpet by 

 the Papuans of Collingwood Bay. 



An unusual pattern of trumpet was 

 made from the helmet shell {Cassis cor- 

 nuta), which was perhaps used only 

 when the large elongate conchs were not 

 available. A helmet trumpet, which I 

 obtained at Funafuti in the Central 

 Pacific, is shown in an accompanying il- 

 lustration. The shell is about ten inches 

 long and the mouthpiece is cut in the 

 centre of the spire. It was employed to 

 assemble the villagers to a trial or other 

 public ceremony. 



