SIiell-T-mmpets and their Distribution. 43 



Zembsch, in his " Katalog No. I verzeichniss einer 

 ethnographischen Sammlung aiis der Siidsee,"'" gives a 

 photo of a clay figure of a god from Malikolo with a 

 Ti'iton-tvnm'pet tied to each hand. The trumpets are 

 perforated on the side of the spire. 



In the Solomon Islands, Guppy* tells lis that the shell- 

 tiumpets are made of large examples of both Triton and 

 Cassis, with a hole pierced on the side of the spire. 



In the island of Tanna, in the New Hebrides, shell- 

 trumpets are blown as signals to the disease-makers, or 

 sorcerers,, to entreat them to stop plaguing their victims. 

 "These disease-makers collected any nahak, or rubbish, 

 that had belonged to anyone, such as the skin of a banana 

 he had eaten, wrapped it in a leaf like a cigar, and burned 

 it slowly at one end. As it burnt, the owner's illness 

 increased ; and if it was burnt to the end, he died ; there- 

 fore, as soon as a man fell ill, feeling sure that some sorcerer 

 was burning his rubbish, shell-trumpets, which can be 

 heard for miles, are blown as a signal for the sorcerers to 

 stop, and wait for the presents which should be sent in the 

 morning. When a disease-maker fell ill himself, he too 

 believed that some one was burning his rubbish, and had 

 his shells blown for mercy."'" 



Hedley, in his " Ethnology of Funafuti,""" tells us 

 that the Ellice Islanders are called together to a trial or 

 other public ceremony by the blowing of a shell trumpet 

 made from the large Cassis cornuta. 



The conch-shell also ranges among the musical instru- 



°" Ethnographische Ableilung der Buclilmndlung und Druckerei vor- 

 mals, E. J. Brill, Leiden, 1897, p). iii. 



"* Guppy, "The Solomon Islands, and their nalive.s," 1S87, p. 143. 



°" Lovell, a/. «■/., 18S4, p. 195, quoting Turner's " Polynesia, "' and 

 Taylor's " History of Mankind," p. 12S. See also G. Turner's " Samoa," 

 etc., 1884, pp. 320-21. 



"° /I/t'w. Aiist. Mils., iii., pt. 4, 1897, p. 299. 



