Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/292

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CHAPTER XIX.

FLUTES OF ORIENTAL AND SAVAGE NATIONS,

Oriental flutes—Chinese—Japanese—Effect of the flute on animals—Indian flutes—Nose-flutes—South American flutes—The love flute—Ancient prejudices—The Fathers and the Puritans.

The flute is to be found all over the globe, and in a vast variety of form. The Chinese have quite a large Chinese
Flute
assortment, grenerally made of bamboo, though one named the Yuti is made of marble. They are called by different names according to the purpose for which they are used. Many are blown through a lateral mouth-hole, especially those which contain the syllable ti in their name, as Ti-tzu. The Seiteki, which is very popular, in addition to its six finger holes, has another hole which is covered with a thin membrane of reed or paper in order to produce a buzzing sound (a device also found in the Siamese Klin, and in some early European flutes). It is often bound round with waxed silk to prevent it splitting, and ornamented with tassels attached to " dummy" holes near the end of the tube. Another Chinese flute called the Lung-ti is ornamented with dragon's heads and tails at the ends; this is used

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