The earliest musical instruments of the Hindus on record have, almost all of them, remained in popular use until the present day scarcely altered. Besides these, the Hindus possess several Arabic and Persian instruments which are of comparatively modern date in Hindustan: evidently having been introduced into that country scarcely 1,000 years ago, at the time of the Muhammadan irruption. There are several treatises on music extant, written in Sanskrit, which contain descriptions of the ancient instruments. [Illustration: FIG. 14.――_a._ SÂRINDA AND BOW. Indian (Bengal). 19th century. L. 25 in.; bow 15¾ in. No. 180. 180ᵃ-’82. _b._ RUDRA VINA. Southern Indian (Madras). 19th century. L. 45 in. No. 02130. I.S. _c._ SÂRANGI AND BOW. Southern Indian. 19th century. L. 22 in. No. 02118. I.S. Victoria and Albert Museum.] Of these the Bhârata Nâtya S’astra by Bhârata Muni (period: B.C. 200 to A.D. 100), and the Sangita Ratnâkara, are probably the oldest and most valuable. The latter, according to information supplied by the late Major C. R. Day, is an exhaustive work, consisting of seven ādhyayas, compiled by Sarnga Deva, son of Sotala Deva, King of Karnata, and grandson of Bhaskara, a Kashmirian (period: so far undetermined). The _vina_ is undoubtedly of high antiquity. It has seven wire strings, and movable frets which are generally fastened with wax. Gourds, often tastefully ornamented, are affixed for the purpose of increasing the sonorousness. There are several kinds of the _vina_ in different districts. Concerning the two principal present-day derivations from the ancient vina, the following abbreviated descriptions of the _rudra vina_ of Southern India and the _bîn_ or _mahati vina_ of Northern India, are obtained from “The Music and Musical Instruments of Southern India,” by the late Major C. R. Day (London, 1891). The _rudra vina_ (_see_ Fig. 14_b_) is composed of a pear-shaped body of thin wood, hollowed out of the solid; wooden belly; four principal metal strings passing over twenty-four frets and three shorter wires placed at the side of the finger-board; also a single detachable _burra_, or hollow gourd, fastened to the under-side of the neck, near the head, to increase the volume of sound. In the method of playing it differs from that of other Indian musical instruments, the left hand being employed to stop the strings on the frets, whilst the fingers, or rather the finger-nails, of the right hand are used, without plectra, for striking. The _bîn_, or _mahali vina_, differs from the _rudra vina_ in shape and in method of playing. Two large gourd-resonators replace the wooden body with its small _burra_; the side strings are placed two on the left side and one upon the right; the frets vary from nineteen to twenty-two in number; and in playing, the two first fingers of the right hand are armed with wire plectra.