16 Dr. R. Konig on Manometric Flames. 



The characteristic tone of U approaches therefore to the third 

 overtone of D and E, to the second of A and 13, and to the fun- 

 damental a and b ; and in point of fact in the flame-groups of D 

 and E we can perceive a forking into three, in those of A and B 

 into two chief divisions ; while the flame-pictures of a and b show 

 a great preponderance in intensity of the fundamental over the 

 accessory tones. 



The characteristic tone of does not approach any of the 

 overtones of the sounds that are suag (except C) nearer than 

 about half a tone ; therefore it has but little effect on the flame- 

 pictures. At a, where it approaches the second, and at d, where 

 it approaches the third overtone, we perceive clearly the forking 

 into two and three parts respectively ; but the more complicated 

 groups of A, E, and 1) do not show any particular prominence 

 of the tones 4, 5, and 6. This was to be expected, as the air in 

 the mouth cannot strongly vibrate if its pitch, as in this case, 

 differs half a tone from the note already weak when sounded. 



The characteristic tone of A approaches no overtone nearer 

 than 16 vibrations, except at C and c, where it coincides with 

 the 14th and 7th overtones. Nevertheless the pictures of C and 

 c do not show the existence of the 14th and 7th overtones, pro- 

 bably because these notes are so high and w T eak in the larynx 

 that they cannot vibrate the atmosphere in the mouth sufficiently 

 to act on the flame. 



The characteristic tones of the vowels E and I are too high to 

 have any effect on the flame ; and thus E sung on c shows but 

 such a picture as does a fundamental distantly accompanied by 

 its octave, instead of a group of seven summits. 



T, sung on the same note, shows only a series of simple flames, 

 which seem to indicate a simple tone. This simplicity of the 

 flame-picture here, however, is only apparent, as in all the pic- 

 tures of I. 



The wide, large, and almost forkless flames shown by the dif- 

 ferent groups are really mostly whole tufts of flame, which appear 

 somewhat confused when the note is weakly given ; but when, 

 on the contrary, it is blown with force, and particularly at the 

 mouthpiece, numerous bright points may be clearly seen, which 

 indicate the presence of very high accessory notes. It is very 

 fatiguing to sing I, and when pitched low is so difficult that I 

 was compelled to omit the sounds from C to F in the drawings. 



I made an experiment to see whether the flame-picture would 

 take any different form if I placed the tube, instead of before 

 the mouth, at the back part of it, and then sang A on /; but, 

 with the exception of increased intensity, the result in both cases 

 was the same. 



The whispered vowels had but a slight effect on the flame, 



