THE TOAD'S BAGPIPE 



53 



across its opening. A doubled horse -hair was knotted 

 to the centre of this small drum-head, and the slip-loop 

 at its other end passed round the tip of a small smooth 

 stick, on which a groove was made to receive it. When 

 this groove was wet and the drum revolved in the air 

 the " locust " spoke for itself, to the joy of the small 

 boy even if to the nuisance of every one else. If this 

 drum be held firmly in one hand and the stick in the 

 other the horse-hair being very tightly drawn a quick 

 twist of the handle, accompanied with a tighter pull on 

 the hair will almost exactly re- produce the frog 



song in question. I hope some day to decoy and 



identify my mysterious frog ' by this device, 





