extraordinary changes and improvements which have been effected during
the present century have given wind instruments an importance that is
hardly exceeded by that of the stringed, in the formation of the
modern orchestra. The military band, as it now exists, is a creation
of the present century.

The so-called wood wind instruments are the flute, oboe, bassoon, and
clarinet. It is as well to say at once that their particular qualities
of tone do not absolutely depend upon the materials of which they are
made. The form is the most important factor in determining the
distinction of tone quality, so long as the sides of the tube are
equally elastic, as has been submitted to proof by instruments made of
various materials, including paper. I consider this has been
sufficiently demonstrated by the independent experiments of Mr.
Blaikley, of London, and Mr. Victor Mahillon, of Brussels. But we must
still allow Mr. Richard Shepherd Rockstro's plea, clearly set forth in
a recently published treatise on the flute, that the nature and the
substance of the tube, by reciprocity of vibration, exercise some
influence, although not so great as might have been expected, on the
quality of the tone. But I consider this influence is already
acknowledged in my reference to equality of elasticity in the sides of
the tube.

The flute is an instrument of _embouchure_--that is to say, one in
which a stream of air is driven from the player's lips against an edge
of the blow hole to produce the sound. The oboe and bassoon have
double reeds, and the clarinet a single reed, made of a species of
cane, as intermediate agents of sound production. There are other
flutes than that of _embouchure_--those with flageolet or whistle
heads, which, having become obsolete, shall be reserved for later