The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-03-24
Animals Acquiring Speech.


A writer in the Journal Of Science
deals with the interesting subject OF
the attempts of certain of the lower
animals to acquire human speech.
At the outset the observer is struck
by the curious fact that the most
successful attempts of this nature
have been made not by the animals
that are usually held to rank nearest
to humanity, but by certain birds.
M. A. Ronjon tells of a dog that can
pronounce the word ma nanmon.
Considering the intelligence of dogs,
it is perhaps a matter of surprise that
such stories are not conlmoner. 1t
has been suggested that the cause
may be in the difference in structure
OF the vocal organs. At all events,
the lower manlmalia as q rule do not
learn human speech. It is the parrot
and not the monkey that learns to
talk. This has struck the Observant
negro, who it is said to have a theory
that the monkey can speak
but will not do SO. lest he
should be made to work. If
the monkeys had arrived at this gen.
eralization they would soon find that
even the mutes must do something in
the complex organization of civilized
life. 1t is clear, however, that in adj
dltlOn to Il possession of certain
physiological and mental character
lstics an animal must he in close O n
Tact with man before it can be ex-
pected to become familiar with his
speech. It is evident that the ami
mails that would appear most promis-
ing for such an experiment are not
available for the purpose. They do
not increase in captivity, and hence
Inc hereditary infrences of select;ye
HALEY Times.
development carried on for genera
tons is entirely absent. 1t is grave
~ doubted by some whether the birds
that initiate the speech of man have
any perception whatever of the mean
ing of the words they use. Do
they employ their phrases with
definite purpose or intention. or
90 they merely reproduce what thev
hear, as a boy may initiate the ouack
OF a duck or the grunt of q pig? The
writer of the article mentioned re-
cites the cas- of a parrot which al
ways preferred the petition. "Give
blt, If you please" when she
saw that food was being prepared.
but did not offer that observation at
any other time. He also mentioned
a magpie at Stowmarket that knew
and used with accuracy the names of
several members of the family. The
Able Gras has two parrots that nae
general phrases with strict a%ppronri-
ateness. When a supply of seeds il
given to Coco she cries, Here ia
something good" If her Communion
screams, he says: Come, Cocotte
oon't scream; sing" If her reo1,cst
Is complied with, she patronizinoiw
observes: You sing we'll; oh, very
I Mea M. Gras was giving some
Clr e to bis housekeeper, when
.oeo lnterlected: How; don't YOU
ua n~ueistand!" Intelligent parrots
occasionally vary their phrases. and
IKE children who are learning to
AK never speak of Themselves in
me ne nIst person. The child calls it,
'eit rBaby," as the parrot STYLES it.
'eii .Folly." The bird and the child
Puzzle. and blunder in COMING
3 ':s a new phrase, and have especial
lemcuity In mastering the final bart
u u sentence. Consider;nr
what an individul bird can acco,n,
IL would be rash to limit the
ossloilitles Of that which might be
l generation after generation If
,on over parrots were matched. "Per-
says the writer, sin these
'sys OF cram and of the equal rights
y ANIMALS we may in five centnries
magples in the fifth and skill
,anoards, macaws' preparing tor the
Examination of the science and OF
apartment, and cockatoos sweet
'lfd Notwithstanding their degree
u tne University Of London. -