The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-10-06
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EFFEoT OF MUSIC ON ANIMALS.
TRANSLATED From THE FRENCH, FoR THE MY.
OBSERVER, ny RUTH PooT.

ent men, and those effects depend much
upon the impressions received and the
habits formed in childhood. A harmony
which would entrance cultivated ear
would leave a savage unmoyed It not,
then, surprising that music acts variously
upon the different kinds of animals. The
sound Of instruments impresses them, and
often very keenly. Wind instruments. for
example, have singularly exciting effect
on dogs. To these they seldom become
accustomed the first sound which strikes
them calls forth frightful howls. Herds
men and shepherds, in some countries, call
their hocks with long horn, and, not
withstanding the dog hears from it every
day the same air, it draws from him each
time cries Of distress.
There is, however, an instance Of dog
sufficiently fond Of harmony to allow his
master to give him a certain degree of
musical education. This animal belonged
to a German composer of a name few
tongues can pronounce, but will venture
to write it. II was SciHeitshoefer. Well
the man of this astonishing name succeed
ed in teaching the resual Ia to dog. The
animal retained the lesson, and always
after, at the command Of his master, would
raise correctly the note
The horse, unlike the dog, takes pleas
ure in music; at the sound Of it he raises
his ears he is animated by a martial air;
at slow movement he slackens his pace.
In the days when regiments Of cavalry
had their own bands Of music, the perform
ers, when upon the march, were seen play
ing quietly their parts, giving little heed
to the animals they rode, who advanced
in perfect order, and without making the
least mistake.
The regiment horse learned to under
stand perfectly tho different calls of the
trumpet. Many have heard the anecdote
OF the countryman who had bought an old
horse Of retired soldier. One morning
he entered a town as regiment of cavalry
was passing. Suddenly the trumpet sound
ed, when the horse instantly started, Joined
the troop, placed himself in the ranks, and
followed in spite of the cries and efforts of
his owner. The ass and the OK experience
equal pleasure in listening to melody. The
OK advances his head as a sign of satisfac-
ton; the ass raises his ears and shows uu
mistakabe evidences Of enjoyment. Mice
are also among the quadruped lovers of
music.
The birds are mel0maniacs artists
themselves, it is not strange that they love
music. 1t is easy to teach tunes to some
of them. BY hearing them played on a
bird-organ, they remember and repeat
them. All birds, however, do not have
this taste. Among those that are distres-
scd by music may be reckoned hens
The sound of violin causes them to fly
away with cries of fear. If shut up in
place where music is made, their demon
strations Of terror are most comical and
curious. -
Reptiles and insects appreciate the
charms Of music. If one whistles before
a lizard that is running away, it suddenly
stops, and, if the air is agreeable, it listens
with evident pleasure. When an Ameri.
can Indian has the ability to whistle pleas
antly, he can approach the iguana and
capture this gigantic lizard, whose flesh is
said to be so good for food Like all other
lizards, the iguana listens to music with
such attention that he forgets to care for
his own safety and allows himself to be
taken. The charmers Of serpents, by means
of certain melodies, slow and captivating,
can control perfectly these terrible crea-
lures. The call them, direct their move
ments, allow them to surround their limbs
with their powerful coils, without the least
danger the serpent is completely subju-
gated.
Who would believe that music could
affect the spider? Nothing, however, is
more true. A captain Of regiment had
displeased the Minister of Louis XIV,
and was imprisoned in the Bastile. He |
obtained permission to take with him his
lutte, which he played with much skill |
After few days, the prisoner was aston
ished to see mice come out from their |
holes and spiders descend from their webs |
and surround him to listen to him. His
surprise was SO great the first time that
he stopped playing, when his singular au. |
dience retired. When he began again.
spiders and mice returned They at last
became so numerous, that he was conyin- |
ced they informed their friends in the
neighborhood, and, in order to indulge in
his diversion, he was Obliged to have a cat
in his prison. Still some mice, too music
mad, would not be stopped BY that, and
became victims of their love for lyric art.
This fact is not solitary one. Leclere,
a celebrated violinist of the time of Louis
XIV, who was assassinated in the street
by young man, his rival, passed several
months in prison, for what reason is un-
known. A warrant Of arrest was sufficient
in those days to send a man to the Bas-
tile, where he was sometimes forgotten for
years. Leclere had permission to take
with him to prison his violin. One day,
as he was playing the sonata in c. minor
of Carelli, he observed spider which had
come out of its hiding place and rested
motionless at the edge OF its web. The
sonata finished, il returned to its retreat.
Leclere executed several other pieces, but
the insect was insensible to these and did
not appear until the artist played the
sonata, and never failed to come whenever
it heard this. Even the sound of the hu.
man voice sufhces to charm the spider
The story of Pelisson aud his spider is well
known. Pelisson, in his prison, sung re.
ligious hymns; his voice attracted a spider
which he trained to such degree that il
came invariably at his call.
1t is generally believed that the cat is
insensible to the charms Of music. Some
facts, however, seem to contradict this
opinion. Every one has had occasion to
see kitten anuse itself by walking over
the keyboard of an open piano. The ami.
NAL has an astonished look and seems to
ask herself what il means. Is it the sound |
of the instrument that surprised her, or
the movement Of the keys which yield be-
meath her steps2 1t is uncertain. A |
promenade of this kind, gave occasion to |
a German composer, well known among |
musicians, jean Fuchs, ito compose
EtIuc xuhsah san -. IL