HANDBOOK OF THE COLLECTION OP MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 15 



strike against the right wrist." A typical Dyak instrument is longer 

 and split into four prongs or sections at one end. 



A clapper used in Ireland was made of small plates of brass or 

 shingles of wood, the French used a clapper with their ancient 

 dances, and the Latin people to the south used it to mark the rhythm 

 of dancing in the worship of Cybele. 



The clapper used by the Indians of Alaska and British Columbia 

 is often carved and painted somewhat similarly to the rattles. The 

 writer was informed that a clapper of this sort was used by medicine 

 men who struck it against the body of the patient during their 

 treatment. An example of this instrument from the Tlingit Indians 

 of Alaska (16285, pi. 8j) is described as follows by Mr. Hawley : 



Dance rattle or clapper carved from wood in the shape of a short, thick 

 paddle, split longitudinally for part of its length. One section is solid with 

 the part which forms the handle, the other is hinged to the handle with a 

 whale bone spring. The flat (inner) surface of each section is hollowed out 

 like a spoon. 



The third class of rattle is known as the notched stick rattle. 

 This consists of two parts, a stick (or other substance) having 

 notches cut across its face, and a shorter stick (or other substance) 

 that is rubbed across the notches. A resonator is sometimes used 

 to amplify the sound. A typical instrument consists of a stick about 

 1 inch in diameter and 20 to 25 inches long, cut with equidistant 

 notches on one side for about two-thirds its length, and rasped with 

 a stick or bone about 6 inches long. Resonators vary with the 

 locality. 



The history and distribution of this instrument are particularly 

 interesting. The earliest example, so far as known, is the Chinese 

 yii, which was used in the Confucian ceremonies and occupied a 

 position of prominence on the west side of the temple. It is of 

 hollow carved wood in the form of a crouching tiger on a rectangu- 

 lar box. On the back of the tiger are 27 teeth, resembling a saw. 

 At the close of each verse in the temple songs the tiger is struck 

 three times on the head with a beater made of split bamboo which is 

 rapidly passed over the projections on the back, producing a rasp- 

 ing sound. In Japan a similar instrument is called " gyo." Evi- 

 dence of the use of human bones in the making of this instrument 

 have been unearthed in Mexico. A primitive example of this rattle 

 is 231000 (pi. 9e), consisting of the lower jaw (mandible) of a 

 horse. This was used by negro slaves and formerly by negro min- 

 strels. A stick was rubbed across, the teeth, and at the same time 

 the instrument was used as a gong. It is said that : 



The Christy minstrels held the instrument at the point of the jaw by the 

 left hand, the stick or beater was held in the right hand between the cheek 

 bones, striking one cheek bone for a single beat and both for a double beat. 



