HORN 



2836 



HORN 



Why Does the Moon Look Larger at the 

 Horizon? The following explanation was 

 recently given for this interesting phenomenon 

 by Dr. Ponzo, an Italian psychologist: If two 

 equal circles be drawn in the interior of an 

 angle, the one nearest the apex will always 

 appear the larger because the sides of the angle 



O 



a 



THE MOON AND THE HORIZON 



are nearer to it. For the same reason the 

 moon is apparently enlarged at the horizon. 

 That is, it presents itself on the horizon in the 

 angle formed by the earth and the declining 

 arc of the sky, while in the center of the heav- 

 ens it is free in the vast area of the heavens. 



HORN, one of the most important of the 

 brass instruments used in orchestral and band 

 music, the peculiar and soft tone of which is 

 due to the length of the tube, the shape of the 

 bell and the funnel-like bore of the mouth- 

 piece. Among primitive races the original horn 

 was made of conch-shell or elephant tusk, and 

 was utilized in war and the chase. In medieval 

 times it took the form of a bugle, also for 

 hunting purposes, and from its crude form all 

 modern horns have been developed. 



Horns are divided into three groups: the sim- 

 ple horn used by fox-hunters for signaling, 

 which has no musical value; the saxhorn, for 

 military and brass bands; and the orchestral, 

 or French, horn, the most refined and delicate 

 instrument of all. The French horn has been 

 improved by the addition of valves, which give 

 to the instrument a greater variety in pitch and 

 quality. Music for the horn is written in the 

 key of C and an octave higher than it is 

 played, although by adjusting the length of the 

 tube it can be played in almost any key. The 

 horn has a compass of about three octaves; it 

 is seldom used singly, either two or four being 

 the usual number in an orchestra. Handel, Mo- 

 zart, Beethoven, Schubert, Weber, Mendelssohn, 

 Schumann in fact, all composers of note- 

 have given horns a significant place in their 

 compositions. 



HORN, a tough, hardened, partly transpar- 

 ent substance, developed from the outer layer 

 of skin, or epidermis, and represented by the 



nails on the toes and fingers of man and other 

 animals, by the beaks and claws of birds, the 

 hoofs of horses and cattle, the shell of the tor- 

 toise and the tapering appendages which grow 

 from the head of deer, cattle, sheep and goats. 

 These latter are known as horns. 



Whalebone, developed from the palate of 

 certain species of whale, the hard spots on the 

 knees of the camel, the corns on the toes of 

 human beings, the hide of the scaly anteater 

 and the scales of serpents and lizards are other 

 examples of horn. Chemical analyses of this 

 substance show that it is composed of carbon, 

 hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur, car- 

 bon being usually present in the proportion of 

 over fifty per cent. The purpose of horn is to 

 furnish a protective surface, a tool or a weapon 

 of defense. 



There are interesting points of difference in 

 connection with the horns of various animals. 

 Those of the deer consist at first of bone core 

 covered by flesh and a velvety skin ; their horns 

 are expanded and branched into antlers, which 

 fall off at regular intervals (see DEER). The 

 horns of the giraffe are independent bones with 

 a covering of hairy skin; those of oxen, sheep 

 and antelopes consist of a bony core covered 

 by a horny sheath, and are outgrowths of the 

 frontal bone. The horns of oxen, sheep, goats 

 and antelopes are never shed, except in the 

 case of the pronghorn antelope. 



Economic Uses of Horn. Because of its 

 toughness and pliability and since it can be 

 softened by heat and molded, horn lends itself 

 to the manufacture of many useful and orna- 

 mental articles. It is widely used to make 

 combs, handles for umbrellas and knives and 

 forks, buttons, drinking cups % and many varie- 

 ties of boxes. From the solid parts of the 

 buffalo horns, beautiful carvings were formerly 

 made. Horn takes dyes admirably, and through 

 a skilful manipulation of colors common varie- 

 ties can be made to resemble costly tortoise 

 shell. The early use of horn for making musi- 

 cal instruments and fog signals has given the 

 name horn to these articles. Powder horns, 

 too, before the advent of cartridges, were 

 spoken of by that name long after they ceased 

 to be made of horn. 



HORN, a famous cape which is the southern 

 extremity of an island of the same name, 

 forming the most southerly point of South 

 America. It is a dark, steep headland, 500 to 

 600 feet high, running far into the sea. The 

 first man to "round the Horn" was a Dutch 

 sailor named Hoorn; he accomplished the feat 



