Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-05-02
JOKES AND SORROWS.
Man Not tho only Beast that En ers
ana trleves over Them-Birds ana
Animals that Laugh and Cry.

"an not INC only beast that En ers
nnd Grleves over Them-Birds ana
Animals that Laugh and Cry.
Hobbies, the eminent philosopher, said
man is the only animal that laughs and
wecps. Mr.. Hobbies lived many years ago,
but his remark, which is often quoted as
an aphorism, lacks that important ingre-
dent which is not always attached to
every patent medicine advertisement
truth. There are animals that both laugh
and weep. There are, on the contrary,
races of men, like the American indians
and Cingaleso Veddas, which do not
laugh.
Two essentials are needed in order to
produce the physical phenomenon of
laughter i'll man---irst, facial, vocal or
other muscles. including the diaphragm,
and second the emotions or IDEAS which
give rise to laughter. Certain animals
possess both these essentials. The gorilla
possesses the facial muscles, and Darwin
claims that various monkeys have them
All the mammalia, in common with man,
have the diaphragm, which is capable of
rapid relaxation and contraction as well
as spasmodic action. The chimpanzee is
said to smile. The smile of the titi mon
key is playful one. The dog can both
smile and grin, whether affection or plea
sure, hypocrisy or cunning dictate. Dogs
distinguish the different kinds of laugh
ter, they note the distinction between that
which is good-humored and that which is
sarcastic. They are sensitive to ridicule,
yet not unfrequently try to produce
laughter in man, and deep is their morti-
tication if they fail. Romanes tells us of
skye terrier that tried to amuse his
master and provoke his laughter by GER
tain tricks it had taught itself, and was
sulky if its efforts proved frutless. An
orang-outang in the London Geological
Gardens showed every sign of pleasure
when its practical Jokes excited mems
laughter, and Rev. DR.. Wood records the
instance of a tame jackdaw who enjoyed
the fun of boys games like leap-frog and
tag as much as the boys did themselves.
The parrot is capital laugher. He
laughs at his own practical jokes White,
of Selborne speaks of the heartiness Of
laughter i'll the woodpecker. A pet mag
pie of Jcsse's, he says in that incompara-
bic History of Selborne," had n laugh
that was so hearty, Joyous and natural
that no one who heard it could help Join
ing in it, There are tales of certain
swallows who on the successful issue of a
practical joke played by them on cal,
seemed each to set up laugh at the dis
appointed enemy very like the laugh of
young child when tickled. Miss Cobbe
says the goose has, perhaps. the keenest
appreciation Of humor of any animal, un-
less 1t be her own arch enemy, the fox ?
Aud she illustrates this assertion by the
narrative of practical joke played on a
number of pigs by flock of geese. The
poor porkers were caused to run the
gauntlet down Il lane of geese biting at
them with their bills, simply to frighten
them, and that the geese might enjoy the
terror and squaaling of the pigs.
zone Of my horses" says Baker Pnsha,
"out OF pure uuusement, kicks at the
men as they pass, and, having succeeded
river, he perseveres in the fun, | believe,
for lack of other employment
Thare is a certain hyena which, from
the popularity of its cry, is styled the
laughing hyena, and in Australia there is
bird--a kingtisher-w is called for
similar reason the laughing jackass. Its
notes strongly resemble rude, powerful
laugh. The great African traveller Liv-
lngstone, speaks of the African brown
Ibis, whose cry is a loud ha- ha- ha
AS 1t IS true that certain animals pcs
sess the physical qualifications for laugh
ter, so also is 1t correct that they possers
all the apparatus for shedding tears. The
dog, horse, elephant, bear, cat, donkey,
mule, various deer. soko, chlmpanzee,
maudrill, titl o. other monkeys or apes,
cattle, camel, giraffe, shed tears under
emotions of grief aud sorrow The par
rot does not shed tears, but possesses the
kindred power of sobbing Chimpauzecs
, will weep at dread of punishment, mon
keys and elephants on account of disap-
polntment or modification, the Cngalese
= elephant on account of captivity and con-
iinement, the titi from fear, terror or
fright, the stag at bay and Gagged rat from
despair, certain monkeys because they are
+, pltled, and the young soko, says DR.. Liv-
ingstone, out of mere pettishness or nom
compliance with his whims
Mrs. Burton says she has seen in the
Syrian desert "tears roll down camels
cheeks with thirst" Some one speaking
OF mule crippled by two-inch nail in
his foot: "His face was the picture of
t pam and despair. Tears streamed out of
/ his eyes" DR.. Livingstone records the
instance OF young soko, which, if not
u taken up in the arms like child when it
, desired, and appealed to be 30 carried,
d engaged IN the most bitter human-like
n weeping. DIR. Boerlage shot a female
n Cmother) ape in Java that fell mortally
= wounded from tree clasping the young
one In her arms, and she died weeping.
0 A giraffe, wounded by rife shot was
, also found to have tears trickling from
the lashes of his dark, humid eyes. Cor
e don Cumming, the African traveller
speaks of large tears trickling from the
e eyes OF dying elephant. Some old rats
o hndipg yonng one dead by drowning,
. wiped the tears from their eyes with their
lurepaWs, says the Aninaat World. In
stances might be enumerated without linn
r 1t to show That certain animals have botb
!, the physio,i requirements for grins and
', tears, and are susceptible to the same
= emotions that cause tears and laughter In
:, nau.