Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 33.djvu/182

170 founded by Clapisson, and in the beginning consisted only of a single collection—of whistles. This was, moreover, a most curious collection, comprising whistles of all ages and all countries, of terra-cotta, copper, ivory, hard stone, etc., some of which were



remarkable as specimens of invention and workmanship. Unfortunately, this collection was scattered to the winds at an auction-sale twenty years ago, and the conservatory has not preserved any part of it; but there are still a great many curiosities in the instrumental museum—serpents in the most distressing shapes,