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birdie whistle

I just read in an old ebook from the gutenberg project an despcription for making a birdie whistle.

Only, my native languish isn't english and i don't understand half of what this guy is talking about, what are the materials he's using? What is morocco? A thin sheet of india rubber? Gold beaters skin?

So anybody here has some ideas for 21st century materials to make this thingy here diy style?

thanks in advance

THE BIRD WHISTLE. This instrument, also known as the prairie whistle, is clearly shown in our illustration. It is constructed as follows: First, procure a piece of morocco or thin leather. From it cut a circular piece one inch and a quarter in diameter. Through the centre of this disc, cut a round hole, one-third of an inch in diameter. A semi-circular piece of tin is next required. It should be of the shape of an arc, as seen in our illustration; its width across the ends being about three-quarters of an inch, and its entire length being pierced with a row of fine holes. Next procure a piece of thin sheet India rubber or gold beater's skin. Cut a strip about an inch in length by half an inch in width, and lay one of its long edges directly across the opening in the leather disc. Fold the leather in half (over the rubber), and draw the latter tightly. Next lay on the arc of tin in the position shown in the illustration, and by the aid of a fine needle and thread sew it through the holes, including both leather and rubber in the stitches. When this is done, the whistle is complete. If the gold beater's skin is not attainable, a good substitute may be found in the thin outer membrane of the leaf of a tough onion or leak, the pulp being scraped away.

To use the whistle, place it against the roof of the mouth, tin side up, and with the edge of the rubber towards the front. When once wet, it will adhere to the roof of the mouth, and by skilful blowing, it can be made to send forth a most surprising variety of sounds. The quack of the duck and the song of the thrush may be made to follow each other in a single breath, and the squeal of a pig or the neigh of a horse are equally within its scope. In short, there is scarcely any animal, whether bird or quadruped, the cry of which may not be easily imitated by a skilful use of the prairie whistle, or, indeed, as it might with propriety be called, the "menagerie whistle."

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on November 3, 2011 at 3:48am

Well, Googling it says that gold beater is a thin piece of material made from a calf's intestine. And morocco is leather made from goat skin.

India rubber is just a natural rubber product.

This seems like a lot of work just so you can quack like a duck.

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Permalink Reply by anotola humbuckker on November 3, 2011 at 6:08am

hold on,

it's not ONLY quacking like a duck no, no "there is scarcely any animal, whether bird or quadruped, the cry of which may not be easily imitated by a skilful use of the prairie whistle",

but thanks for the reply, and the info

does anybody have any ideas for allternative products that we might have laying around the house?

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on November 3, 2011 at 6:27am

I was just kidding about the duck part. :-)

anotola humbuckker said:

hold on,

it's not ONLY quacking like a duck no, no "there is scarcely any animal, whether bird or quadruped, the cry of which may not be easily imitated by a skilful use of the prairie whistle",

but thanks for the reply, and the info

does anybody have any ideas for allternative products that we might have laying around the house?

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Permalink Reply by anotola humbuckker on November 3, 2011 at 11:17am

my reply was somewhat toungue in cheek as well :)

Dan Sleep said:

I was just kidding about the duck part. :-)

anotola humbuckker said:

hold on,

it's not ONLY quacking like a duck no, no "there is scarcely any animal, whether bird or quadruped, the cry of which may not be easily imitated by a skilful use of the prairie whistle",

but thanks for the reply, and the info

does anybody have any ideas for allternative products that we might have laying around the house?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ryan Rose on November 3, 2011 at 11:52am

This is pure speculation on my part, having never even heard of such a device before, but for the morocco I'd just try a thin piece of leather. Maybe chamois? How thin I don't know. As for the India rubber, maybe a piece of balloon? Maybe a piece of water balloon? That's thinner.

Out of curiosity, what book is this from? I might like to download it.

anotola humbuckker said:

does anybody have any ideas for allternative products that we might have laying around the house?

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Permalink Reply by Ben on November 3, 2011 at 1:20pm

So, this really isn't any help for this project, but if anyone ever needs to reproduce the sound of summer crickets, get a nice big metal mixing bowl, toss in a few BBs and swirl. Once you get them going 'round and 'round it sounds SO real!

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Permalink Reply by Clock The Wolf on November 3, 2011 at 1:25pm

!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on November 3, 2011 at 1:46pm

LOL!

anotola humbuckker said:

my reply was somewhat toungue in cheek as well :)

Dan Sleep said:

I was just kidding about the duck part. :-)

anotola humbuckker said:

hold on,

it's not ONLY quacking like a duck no, no "there is scarcely any animal, whether bird or quadruped, the cry of which may not be easily imitated by a skilful use of the prairie whistle",

but thanks for the reply, and the info

does anybody have any ideas for allternative products that we might have laying around the house?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by anotola humbuckker on November 3, 2011 at 8:52pm

Ryan Rose said:

This is pure speculation on my part, having never even heard of such a device before, but for the morocco I'd just try a thin piece of leather. Maybe chamois? How thin I don't know. As for the India rubber, maybe a piece of balloon? Maybe a piece of water balloon? That's thinner.

Out of curiosity, what book is this from? I might like to download it.

it's actually from a book on animal trapping for boys, it's the wildest thing, it actually has descriptions for a trap to catch a live bear.... and it's a book for little boys!!

you can find it here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17093

that waterbaloon idea ain't bad, the problem here obviously is that you want to take materials that you can stick in your mouth

here's a video of a guy who is actually selling these kinds of things, they can be gotten real cheap, but hey, it's more fun trying to figure out how to make it then to buy it right..