PEEHISTORIC ART. 



603 



The bell mouths were painted with a white color, which uow remains for the most 

 part only in the deeper parts, but formerly probably covered the entire ornament. 

 All the bell mouths with which I am acquainted are somewhat ornamented. In the 

 flutes of reddish clay, the mouthpiece, almost to the wind hole, is often an intense 

 red, and in color reminds one somewhat of terra sigillata. Neither the red nor the 

 black color, however, is to bo attributed to glazing, but to a coloring matter which 

 was burned in. 



A description of the twenty-four flutes or fragments of flutes would be superfluous 

 in this place. They all resemble one another in a high degree. The number of the 

 flnger holes, the form of the wind hole and of the mouthpiece, is alike in all. They 

 diff'er only in the color (red and black) ; in height, which varies from 17^ to 25^ centi- 

 meters; in the decoration of the bell mouth; and in the number of the color rings, 

 whicli sometimes encircle the tubes near the finger holes. 



All the flutes which have hitherto been made known from Old Mexico are not alike 

 in form, according to letters of Mr. .Seler ; the flutes mentioned in the manuscript of 

 tlie Biblioteca Laureuziana are formed more like oboes, so far as the mouthpiece is 

 concerned. It is bent at an obtuse angle. These flutes have also four finger holes, 

 but no bell mouth. The tube is rather cut diagonally at the end. For an ornament 



^^^y^lf^ T i^'ivm^ffi 'i ^»} } ^i^'ii^ ^A^'^t*^>^^^^ 



l^0!iMji^^^M}MM)mM^usm 



Fig. 249. 



TUBE-SHAPED POTTERY WHISTLE. 



Cordova, Mexico. 



Cat. No. 20037, U.S.N. M. 3^ n.itnral size. 



there is a neat red patch on the tube above the finger holes, while the color of the 

 flute appears bright yellow. From the color it is to be assumed tliat the flutes pic- 

 tured in the Sahiigun manuscript were made of reed. The red mass is doubtless the 

 loop of riband or a small leather strap. 



In the collection of Gabriel Mas, in Munich, tlicre is a flute which has a divine figure 

 on the front, probably Xipe the " Geschundenen." 



He adds in a footnote (2, p. 559) : 



It is not correct to designate this instrument as a flute; flageolet would be better. 

 A flute occurs iu Europe under this name, and which is made on the same principle. 

 But I will not quibble about the name flute, because it already occurs in literature. 



We are indebted to Mr. A. E. Douglas, of New York, for the loan 

 of a flageolet (entire) from the valley of Mexico.^ Its shape is practi- 

 cally the same as outlined iu fig. 251. A short description and its 

 musical cai)acity are here given. 



» This specimen was purchased by Mr. Douglas from the Boban collection of Mex- 

 ican anti(|uities sobl iu New York City, December, 1886, called in the catalogue 

 (No. 14) Uilacapitzli, and from the valley of Mexico. 



