The flute is a long tube made in three pieces, or joints, as they are called. The head is one-third the length of the tube; the body carries the keys that produce the scale of D major; and, lastly, comes the foot joint, or tail-joint. The flute is cylindrical and is made of wood or silver. In the silver flute the head-joint alone is slightly conical. In the side of the head there is a large opening, less than an inch below the cork, and _across_ this opening the performer blows his breath. On the lower part of the flute are six holes to be stopped at will by the first three fingers of each hand; and three or four levers on the lowest joint furnish additional notes below the regular scale of the instrument. The performer holds the instrument transversely, sloping downward against the lower lip with the hole, through, or across, which he is to blow turned slightly outward, so that the stream of wind—the “air-stream” it is called—shall strike against the outer edge of this hole. The left hand takes the position nearest the player’s mouth. Four open keys are closed by the first, second and third fingers and thumb placed at the back of the instrument. The little finger touches an open key, G-sharp, or A-flat. On the right hand joint are three open keys for the first, second and third fingers, with the accessory, or “shake,” keys. The right little finger takes the closed key of D-sharp and the two open keys of C-sharp and C. The G-sharp key is open in some flutes, but generally G-sharp closed key is used by flute-players. [Illustration: FIRST FLUTE, SYMPHONY SOCIETY OF NEW YORK _George Barrère_] The flute has no reed. Instead of a reed the “air-stream” from the player’s lips, thrown against the sharp edge of the hole _obliquely_, produces the sound-waves. The principle is that each note comes independently out of a separate hole and speaks independently, just as if the rest of the tube were cut off. All keys are open with the exception of G-sharp, E-flat keys—and also the two small trill-keys. Formerly the flute had no keys, or levers. It merely had finger-holes; but between the years 1832 and 1847 Theobald Boehm, a German, by following some experiments made by Captain Gordon of Charles X’s Swiss Guards, worked away until he developed a system of keys, manipulated by means of levers. His invention was so successful that the player has now command of more holes; and, by means of this system, it therefore became possible to play in every key.