240 THE CALIVER. 
Henry IV., where Falstaff speaks of cowards “such as 
fear the report of a ‘caliver’ worse than a struck fowl or 
a hurt wild-duck.’—Henury IV. Part I. Act iv. Se. 2. 
The derivation of the word “caliver” is not quite clear, 
unless it be the same weapon as the “culverin,” in which 
case it may be derived from the French couleuvrin, adder- 
like. In Cotgrave’s French and English Dictionary, 1660, 
the word is spelled “calcever,” and translated “harque- 
buse.” In Bailey’s “Dictionarium Britannicum,” 1736, 
the caliver is described as “a small gun used at sea.” In 
Worcester’s “ Dictionary of the English Language,” 1850, 
‘“caliver” is said to be corrupted from caliber, and de- 
scribed as—1. a hand-gun or large pistol, an arquebuse ; 
2. a kind of. light matchlock. In Scheler’s “ Dictionnaire 
d’Etymologie Frangaise,” 1862, we find—“couleuvre du 
L. colubra ; It. colubro, Prov. colobre; du L. masc. coluber, 
bri; D. couleuvreau, couleuvrine, ou coulevrine, piece d’ar- 
tillerie ; cp. les termes serpentin, et All. feldschlange.” 
From these various explanations, as well as from that 
given by Archdeacon Nares in his “ Glossary,” it would 
seem to have been a military rather than-a sporting 
weapon. The best description which we have met with is 
that given by Sir S. D. Scott.* He says :— 
“The Caliver was a kind of short musket or harquebus, 
fired by a matchlock, and from its lightness did not re- 
quire a rest.” 
* « The British Army : its Origin, Progress, and Equipment,” vol. ii. p. 286. 
