Bird whistle

This instrument is part of the Hassall collection and it might be a souvenir bought in St. Gotthard, Switzerland. It is a bird whistle, probably a cuckoo call, carved from a single branch of wood that has been hollowed out. The outside bark of the branch was peeled to create the mouthpiece, which has an internal duct and block. The tube has a fingerhole and a modulation handle, which may allow extra effects and tuning.