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conch n also conk* [phonetics unavailable]. Cp DAE ~ 2 'a
fungus ... that grows on ... trees' for sense 3.
1 A
variety of large, spiral sea-shell, used for sounding a boat's signal in foggy weather,
or for announcing the arrival of bait-fish in coastal waters.
1870
HOWLEY MS Reminiscences 1 There were a number of fishing boats on the ground about
[Cape St Mary's] and they greeted us with blowing of conchs, yelling and shouting. 1886
Colonist Christmas No 15 She always referred to him as the 'old man,' and
sometimes when asked concerning him she gave vent to a laugh like the silvery ripple of a
baitskiff s conch and said, 'Oh, the old man's busy at home.' 1912 DUNCAN 139-40 Well, I
sent down t' Jimmie Lot's stage, where the baitskiff horn was kept, and fetched it back.
'Twas a conch shell, with a hole in it: so that if a man knowed how t' use lips an' lungs
on it he could blow a blast that would wake the harbour. In the caplin season, when they
uses them little fish for bait, the folk take turns at mannin' the skiff. 'Tis the
bait-skiff conch that calls un t' put out; an' 'tis the bait-skiff conch that warns the
harbour that the skiff is back with the bait. P 9-73 The opening of the conch shell was
oblong and a man's hand could be inserted into it with the thumb on the outside as a grip
when blowing into its top end. As the skiff was returning in the evening with the bait, a
man in the bow blew into the conch shell as a signal.
2
Blue flag, the stalks of which produce noise when blown upon; CHIRPER.
T 400/1-67 Conch, it grew up from the ground. It was right green,
and oh, it was hollow, yes—purple flower. Poison, they used to call it.
3 Large knot cut from a tree.
P 65-64
Some old trees have large knots in them, called conks. Many times a lumberman who
found an entire big conk has brought it to the camp for an ornament.
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