Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 33.djvu/182

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170
THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY.

founded by Clapisson, and in the beginning consisted only of a single collection—of whistles. This was, moreover, a most curious collection, comprising whistles of all ages and all countries, of terra-cotta, copper, ivory, hard stone, etc., some of which were

Fig. 1.—Ancient Peruvian Earthen Whistles. Nos. 1 and 2, figure of an animal, in face and in profile. No. 3. another form (From specimens in the Sèvres Museum.)

remarkable as specimens of invention and workmanship. Unfortunately, this collection was scattered to the winds at an auction-sale twenty years ago, and the conservatory has not preserved any part of it; but there are still a great many curiosities in the instrumental museum—serpents in the most distressing shapes,