358 DR. K(enig's researches on 



fundamental and the three perturbed harmonics has been filled by the 

 addirion of three true harmonics. Tliis disk is the first iu this research 

 whicli ^nves a real timbre, though it is a peculiar one. It preserves, 

 however, a unitary character, even when the slit is tilted in either 

 direction. The -{4 waves iu this disk all rake forward like the teeth of 

 a circuhir saw, but with multiform ripples upon them. The (juality of 

 tone becomes more crisp when the slit is tilted so as to slojie across the 

 teeth, and more smooth when in the reverse direction. 



The fifth disk, which is lar<?er, has 40 waves at its edg:e. These are 

 cut with curves of all sorts, taken haphazard from various combinations 

 of pure liarmonics in all sorts of proportions and varieties, no two being 

 alike, there maxima and minima of the separate waves being ueither 

 isochronous nor of equal amplitude. This disk gives an entirely unmu- 

 sical effect, amid which a fundamental tone is heard, accompanied l)y a 

 sort of rattling sound made up of intermittent and barely recognizable 

 tones. 



The sixth disk is derived from the preceding by selecting eight only 

 of the waves, and repeating them five times around the periiihery. In 

 this case each set of eight acts as a single long curve, giving beats, 

 with a slow rotation and a low tone (accompanied always by the rattling 

 mixture of higher tones) when the speed is increased. 



Tiie seventh disk was constructed by taking 24 waves of perfect sin- 

 usoidal form, and super[)osing upon them a series of small rii)[)les of 

 miscellaneous shapes and irregular sizes, but without essentially depart- 

 ing from the main outline. This disk gives a timbre in whieli nothing 

 can be separated from the fundamental tone, either with vertical or 

 tilted slit. 



The eighth and last disk consists of another set of 24 perfect waves, 

 from the sides of which irregular ripi)les have been carved away by 

 hand, with the file, leaving however the summits and the deepest 

 parts of the hollows untouched, so that the maxima and minima are 

 isochronous and of equal amplitude. This disk gives also a definite 

 timbre of its own, a little raucous in quality, but still distinctly having 

 a musical unity about it. 



We have every reason therefore to conclude that the ear will recog- 

 nize as possessing true musical quality, as a timbre, combinations in 

 which the constituents of the sound vary iu their relative intensity and 

 j)hase from wave to wave. 



What, then, is a timbre? Dr. Kcenig would be the first to recognize 

 that these last experiments, though of deepest interest, do not afford a 

 final answer to the question. We may not yet be in a position to frame 

 a new definition as to what constitutes a timbre, but we may at least 

 conclude that, whenever that definition can be framed, it will at least 

 include several varieties, including the non-periodic kinds with multi- 

 form waves, as well as those that are truly periodic with uniform waves. 

 We must not on that-account however, rush to the conclusion that the 



