a long slender piece of ordnance or artillery, serving to carry a ball to a great distance. Menage derives the word from the Latin calubrina; others from culuber, 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 extraordinary, the ordinary, and the least sized. 1. The culverin extraordinary has 5½ inches bore; its length 32 calibers, or 13 feet; weighs 4800 pound; its load above 12 pound; carries a shot 5½ inches diameter, weighing 20 pound weight. 2. The ordinary culverin is 12 foot long; carries a ball of 17 pound 5 ounces; caliber 5½ inches; its weight 4500 pound. 3. The culverin of the least size, has its diameter 5 inches; is 12 foot long; weighing about 4000 pounds; carries a shot 3½ inches diameter, weighing 14 pounds 9 ounces.