TH2 SPORTS AND GAMES OF THE SINGHALESE. 85 



A very favorite game among the women, olayed with 

 cowries, is called Panchy, and from the Tamil terms em- 

 ployed would seem to have been introduced from the Ma- 

 labar Coast. Any number may play, but they must divide 

 equally into two sides. The right to begin is decided by 

 one taking up the cowries, which are six in number, and 

 calling out odd or even when the cowries are thrown down, 

 and if an even number turns up the evens have it, and if 

 odd then the odds. The progress of the game is marked by 

 counters called " dogs," three on each side, on a diagram.* 

 The first player takes up the cowries and shaking them in 

 the hand throws them down. Should all six turn up on 

 their backs which is called " Panchy by six", or five? 

 " Panchy bv five," or one, called the " ace," the player 

 has won his innings and is in the game, and has the right 

 to move and score. If the throw was what for convenience 

 we would call a sixer, the player places one counter in the 

 third house counting from his side of the bottom horizontal 

 row. A player throwing a sixer, fiver, or ace repeats the 

 throw until three, four or two or a blank turns up. A blank 

 is when all the six cowries fall on their face and counts 

 nothing. After the first sixer, fiver, or ace, has been made 

 the twos, threes, and fours count. The players on each 

 side play alternately. So long as the play is on the first 

 horizontal bar of the diagram, no taking of an opponent is 

 allowed, nor could a piece at the corner houses or last 

 house be taken, When one player throws the same number 

 as that of a house already occupied, the latter is taken, A 

 piece once taken can only re-enter the board at the first 



* See Diagram D. 



