Here in U.K., I thought that a xylophone had wooden bars, often
rosewood?  I also thought that tuned flat metal bars were termed
a Glockenspiel?

I have a keyboard operated xylophone in an oak case here, and also a
Glockenspiel with 25 notes, obviously made for a marching band as there
is a leather strap to go 'round your neck.  Although the keyboard is
straight and flat, the front of the casework is curved to the outline
of a large round tummy on the person playing the instrument.

Has anyone else come across keyboard operated machines which play
something unusual?

Kevin McElhone, U.K.

 [ If wooden bars it's a xylophone.  The marimba is a xylophone
 [ with a buzzer.  Otherwise if metal bars it's a metallophone.
 [ The glockenspiel (das Glockenspiel auf Deutsch) is designed
 [ for playing while marching (bell lyre).  Orchestra bells,
 [ like the xylophone, are played while horizontal.  The celesta,
 [ a metallophone developed in Paris by Auguste Mustel, was
 [ considered a quaint keyboard instrument until Tchaikovsky
 [ featured it in "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy".  -- Robbie