174 Miscellanies. 



MISCELLANIES. 



DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN. 



1. Echoes. 



I. Musical echo in Virginia. 



Description of a remarkable echo in Fairfax Co., Virginia, by Charles 

 G. Page, M. D., Washington, D. C. Dr. Birch describes an echo in 

 Roseneath, Argylshire, which it is said does not now exist. When eight 

 or ten notes were played upon a trumpet, they were returned upon a key 

 a third lower than the original notes, and shortly after upon a key still 

 lower. A similar curious property I accidentally discovered in an echo 

 on the grounds belonging to my father in Fairfax County, Virginia. The 

 echo had long been observed as an interesting and striking phenomenon, 

 and gives three distinct reflections. The second echo or return is much 

 the most distinct. It gives thirteen syllables with great distinctness, and 

 a very amusing effect is produced by uttering a question and answer in 

 the same breath, and at the same in a different tone. For instance, how 

 do you do? pretty well I thank you, how are you 1 Twenty notes played 

 upon a flute are returned with perfect clearness. But the most singular 

 property of the echo is, that some notes in the scale are not returned in 

 their places, but are supplied by notes which are either thirds, fifths, or 

 octaves. When the second F in the scale is sounded by itself upon a 

 flute, the first reflection gives the same note, the second likewise, and 

 sometimes, though rarely, the last reflection gives C the fifth above. But 

 when the low F is sounded, the first return is always the same note, the 

 second return generally the octave above, and the last invariably the fifth 

 C in the octave above the note played. A slight change in the wind or 

 density of the atmosphere will frequently vary the result. The first nat- 

 ural F upon the flute is the only note which gives a distinct fifth ; and it is 

 not a little singular, that the same note sounded by the voice or upon a 

 bugle is not thus modified, but is returned in the identical tone of utter- 

 ance. The first A upon the flute, gives by the first and second reflec- 

 tions, the same note, by the third reflection an octave above. The same 

 is true of B flat, but of no other notes in the scale. The peculiar config- 

 uration causing the three distinct echoes is perfectly visible, but the causes 

 of the remarkable modifications of certain sounds are difficult to explain. 

 It is evident that is not a case of simple refraction, for all refractions 

 whether of light, heat, or sound are governed by the refracting media. 

 The constantly varying atmosphere which is the medium in this case, 

 would not of course furnish constant results. The effect of refracting 

 media upon vibrations producing musical tones, is to distort and render 

 them disagreeable. It appears to me, that as the modified echoes are 



