CULVERIN, a long slender piece of ordnance or artillery, serving to carry a ball to a great distance. Manège derives the word from the Latin colubrina; others from coluber, "snake;" either on account of the length and slenderness of the piece or of the ravages it makes.

There are three kinds of culverins, viz. the extra-

ordinary, the ordinary, and the least sized. 1. The Culvertail-culverin extraordinary has 5\frac{1}{2} inches bore; its length 32 calibers, or 13 feet; weighs 4800 pounds; its load above 12 pounds; carries a shot 5\frac{1}{2} inches diameter, weighing 20 pounds weight. 2. The ordinary culverin is 12 feet long; carries a ball of 17 pounds 5 ounces; caliber 5\frac{1}{2} inches; its weight 4500 pounds. 3. The culverin of the least size, has its diameter 5 inches; is 12 feet long; weighing about 4000 pounds; carries a shot 3\frac{1}{2} inches diameter, weighing 14 pounds 9 ounces.