the simplest form of flageolet, or flute-a-bec. I t may be made of wood, cane, or m e ta l ; modern whistles are sometimes of celluloid. Tho principle is th a t of a tube plugged, or otherwise arranged, a t the mouth so that a narrow slit only remains. A short distance below is a notch having a portion of the tube cut slantingly away, or if of metal deflected inwards, upon which the breath impinges and so produces a shrill sound dopendent on the length and width of the tube for its pitch and power. The short whistle, of the dog-w'histle type, is not open a t the end, and only produces one note. The old parish clerk's pitch-pipe (made of wood) was merely a whistle plugged a t the end by a movable stopper, which, pushed upwards to certain fixed places, gave the required notes as a pitch for singing. The ordinary musical whistle (the ' tin ' or ' penny ' whistle) has six vents which are stopped by tho fingers of both hands, and the fingering follows the same rule as for the fife, or flute without keys. The bird whistle (directions for playing which were published by Walsh early in the 18th century) is very short, and as a consequence shrill. The whistles of savage nations are generally of cane, and sometimes blown with the nose instead of the mouth. f . k .