1883.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 91 



is A natural, is obtained by closing 2 B,and leaving the other holes 

 open. If these notes thus obtained be compared by a competent 

 musician with any wind instrument of concert pitch, such as the 

 flute, the truth of this assertion will be evident. 



Musical authorities seem to have arrived at the somewhat hasty 

 conclusion, that the Aztec people were onlj^ possessed of a knowl- 

 edge of the so-called Pentatonic scale, but with all due deference 

 to their opinion, I must beg leave to differ upon this point, as it 

 is not probable that intervals which are so easily obtained, were 

 unknown to artisans capable of manufacturing these flageolets of 

 terra-cotta, pitched in different keys, and of determining the exact 

 distance apart of the finger-holes. This superior knowledge of 

 their artisans is still further shown by the ingenious and scientific 

 arrangement of the finger-perforations made in their whistles, or 

 l)itch-pipes, described hereafter, which, when covered, reduce the 

 tone exactly a fourth ; equaling the dominant of the scale. 



The more I study the musical instruments of these people, the 

 firmer becomes my conviction that they must have possessed a 

 full knowledge of the diatonic and chromatic scales ; which can 

 be produced upon the four-holed clay flageolets by any one capable 

 of manipulating our modern flutes. 



The instrument which stands in B flat, can be made to produce 

 that note by closing all the holes and the bell (full finger-stop). 

 B natural is more difficult to obtain, and is produced by a slight 

 movement, with much care and precision, of the little finger out- 

 ward from the centre of the cup-like cavity ; from which fact, and 

 the skill required to produce C sharp, E flat and G natural, I am 

 inclined to believe that the Aztecs, like the ancient Peruvians, 

 possessed musicians trained from early j^outh, who no doubt 

 assisted in their religious ceremonies and festivals. C natural 

 is produced with the four holes closed, and the cup-like cavity 

 open.' C sharp, 1 A half open, 2 B, 3 C, 4 D closed ; D natural, 

 1 A entirely'- open, 2 B, 3 C and 4 D closed. E flat, or the 

 fourth of the scale, is produced by leaving 1 A open, 2 B half- 

 closed, 3 C and 4 D closed; E natural, 2 B open, 1 A, 3 C and 

 4 D closed ; F natural, 1 A and 2 B open, 3 C and 4 D closed ; 



' It may be seen in the Plate, that where it is necessary to close the cup- 

 like cavity in these tlageolets, S is used to indicate entirely closed, half S 

 for half-clo&ed, or half finger-stop, and O for open bell. 



