MUSICAL TREES 137 



on its aerial roots. The branches of elms and 

 maples flop and snap with the noise of a hundred 

 kettle drums, while the cottonwood gives forth a 

 weak hissing sound. 



Large-leaved trees, like the tropical palms, have 

 the regular place of drummer assigned to them in 

 all weather. Their heavily moving leaves give a 

 very good imitation of the weird effects produced 

 by a human master of the traps. To the banana 

 is given the role of bass drummer. These creatures, 

 which are practically all leaf, flop their huge sec- 

 tions about with thunderous effect. Our northern 

 hickory is another tree which likes to rattle. 



The trees are not altogether dependent upon 

 their leaves for their music. Not a few play their 

 most alluring compositions in the autumn and win- 

 ter seasons when the leaves are on the ground. The 

 tulip tree is a frequent late autumn performer. 

 When its seed pods burst open they disclose thou- 

 sands of tiny, circular instruments upon which the 

 wind plays the most weird and enchanting music. 

 The winter music of the Chinese umbrella tree is 

 a melodious laugh, so imitative of the sign of human 

 mirth as to earn for the player the name of "laugh- 

 ing tree." There is a certain simplicity and direct- 

 ness of theme about winter tree music which the 



