HANDBOOK OF THE COLLECTION OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 61 



255) from Bankok, Siam, has one head of snakeskin stretched over 

 the large end of the shell without a hoop. It is closely laced with 

 split rattan to a slender rattan hoop around the shoulders. The shell 

 is gilded and decorated with small pieces of stained glass and mirror 

 glass fairly encrusting the surface. It is struck with the fingers and 

 palms of both hands. A drum of similar form (96579) was collected 

 in Trong, lower Siam. 



An elaborate specimen of this type of drum is 95504, from Kan- 

 goon, British Burma. It has a shell shaped like a huge goblet, a 

 portion of which is covered with a green velvet case dotted with 

 spangles. Over this is a flounce of pink cambric bordered with silver 

 braid. The stem and base of the shell are decorated with designs in 

 low relief, gilded and inlaid with bits of mirror and colored glass. 

 This instrument was played by traveling minstrels at Buddhist 

 feasts and, in the days of Buddhist kings, at the reception of the 

 nobles. 



Drums open at one end and having one head were made of bamboo, 

 and four such specimens from Java were obtained during the World's 

 Columbian Exposition in 1893. Such a drum consists of a section 

 of bamboo with the septums removed and a rawhide head fastened 

 over one of the open ends. No. 95659 is elaborately decorated with 

 designs consisting of charred lines, while 95600 has a braided band 

 of black and natural colored split rattan around the middle of the 

 shell. The rawhide head of 95658 is laced with rattan to a hoop or 

 band of rattan around the shell. This band is held in place by small 

 wedges driven between the band and the shell of the drum. 



Two wooden drums of somewhat similar shape are from Costa 

 Rica, Central America. It is interesting to note the structure of 

 15413. The head of this drum is the skin of the Iguana lizard, 

 cemented to the shell with fresh blood and held by a wrapping of 

 cord until it dries. This is a favorite instrument of music with the 

 natives and is held under the left arm, suspended by a cord over the 

 shoulder and beaten with the fingers of the right hand. No. 15415 

 is similar, but made of lighter wood. Both are hollow from end to 

 end like the bamboo drums. 



A Malay drum from Singapore (95064, pi. 2Tc) is shaped like a 

 cannon with a bell-shaped base. One rawhide head is laced back 

 and forth with split rattan to a hoop of twisted rattan wound with 

 brown fiber. This hoop is held in place by wedges driven between 

 it and the shell. Attention is directed to the triangular piece of 

 the drumhead turned upward to form a handle for carrying the 

 drum. Similar in shape and larger in size is 95063, which has a 

 head of lizard skin. The same general proportions appear in a 

 drum used by freed slaves from East Africa living on the Seychelles 



2999—27 5 



