ON PHYSIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE PHONOGRAPH. 673 
apparatus is interposed passed through the primary. If, then, we. hold 
the telephone to the ear while we look at the little pen writing on the 
recording drum, it is easy to see that the sensations are simultaneous. 
Now if a note of a pitch, say, of 300 vibrations per second lasts only 
gpth of a second, it is evident that only five vibrations must have occurred 
in that time. This shows that we may appreciate a tone and decide 
as to its pitch if only five vibrations fall on the ear. This conclusion 
coincides with the opinion previously arrived at from a careful inspection 
of the photographs and of the mechanically recorded curves. Of course 
we assume that the music is being played by the phonograph in its proper 
tempo. If the phonograph is made to travel faster, possibly it may be 
found that pitch may be appreciated for even shorter periods. Examina- 
tion of the curves shows that as a rule no ‘chord’ lasts longer than half a 
second. This method of recording seems well suited to the study of the 
time relations if a series of complex sounds pour in upon the ear. By 
causing the lever of the tambour to act on the siphon recorder, large curves 
are readily obtained, and a complete tracing of a piece of music from the 
phonograph cylinder may be transcribed on a band of paper about four 
feet in length. 
If one doubts whether the movements of the recording lever are ex-, 
pressions of the tones of the phonograph, three ways are open by which 
the statement may be put to the test :—(1) Listen attentively with the 
telephone, and at the same time watch the recording point. The sensa- 
tions of hearing and of vision for any particular note are simultaneous. 
(2) Remove the elastic tube from the recording tambour and place it 
in the ear, and the music will be heard. (3) Lead the elastic tube from 
the electric tambour to a recording phonograph, and a feeble record will 
be obtained of the music, showing that all the vibrations are present. 
In the last two experiments, as might be expected, quality suffers, but 
the rhythm, the tempo, and the general character of the tune are repro- 
duced. 
The apparatus may also be used for recording phonetic sounds, such as 
syllabic sounds, words, sentences, cc. 
4. The Committee desire reappointment and an additional grant of 
15/. It is proposed to carry out the following work during the year 
1896-97 :— 
(1) To continue the investigation, with the improved recorder, of the 
phonographic curves of one or two selected instruments. 
(2) To investigate the curves of speech, taking simple syllabic sounds, 
such as man, can, pat, rat, &c. 
(3) To begin a series of phonographic records of dialects with the 
view of ascertaining how far such records can be made available for 
philological purposes, This investigation was suggested in the report of 
re “ohana made aetna at Ipswich in 1895, but it had to be 
elayed from pressure of other work. 
1896. pa 2 
