HANDBOOK OF THE COLLECTION OP MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 85 



passes over a bridge and also over a smaller bridge which acts as 

 a nut. 



An Italian instrument with a balloon-shaped body and vertical 

 sides is No. 95249. The head is shaped like half a spearhead, termi- 

 nating in a scroll. 



The banjo is a modern instrument with five to nine strings and 

 occupies a place midway between the guitar and zither. It is com- 

 monly associated with the negro and his plantation melodies and 

 can not claim an exalted musical value. An interesting peculiarity 

 of the banjo is the placing of the melody string (which is highest in 

 pitch) outside of and next to the lowest strings, and attaching it to 

 a tuning peg half way up the neck of the instrument. This melody 

 string is plaA'ed by the right thumb. The strings are stopped by the 

 left hand and plucked or struck with the right, the instrument being 

 played the same as a guitar. 



An interesting series of three banjos, showing the development of 

 the instrument, was presented by William Boucher, jr., of Baltimore, 

 a maker of banjos and inventor of certain improvements. A banjo 

 with two heads (94764, pi. 37tf) was labeled " First screw-head banjo. 

 Style of 1845." The improvements made during 1846 are shown on 

 94765, which has only one head. A banjo made in 1847 has 14 screw 

 bolts with square nuts turned with a wrench (94766). A fine in- 

 strument, made in 1860 by Fred Mather, was presented by his estate 

 (207888, pi. 37e). The tightening hoop is of metal, silver plated, 

 drawn down by 20 screw bolts with hooped heads; these bolts pass 

 through brackets and are fitted with nuts having square heads. A 

 socket key that fits these nuts accompanies the instrument. No. 

 55720, obtained in 1882, has 24 brackets and screw bolts. Another 

 banjo of the same year is 55718 (pi. 376?). A ''parlor or ladies' 

 banjo " is 55721 (pi. 37a), and an example of the " piccolo or octave 

 banjo" is exhibited as 55723 (pi. 376). 



A Chinese three-stringed banjo (52020) is in the collection. A 

 similar instrument is 54021. No. 95567 is a " student's instrument," 

 obtained in Spain by Dr. Walter Hough. It is pear shaped, with 

 brass jingles set in the hoop. The belly is of goatskin, fastened in 

 place with a flat gilded hoop of wood nailed to the sides. 



The zither is a modern member of the great family of stringed 

 instruments plucked with a plectrum. It may be called the national 

 instrument of Bavaria and Tyrol, for it is played by all classes and 

 no inn is without one. It consists of a flat box, which is placed on 

 a table. Over this box run a variable number of strings, some of 

 which are " open " and used in playing the accompaniment, while 

 others are " stopped " by pressing them against frets. A typical in- 

 strument has 5 metal strings over the frets and 27 to 40 strings of 



