Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-06-16
ANIMAL LANGUAGE.
INTERESTING ITEMS CONCERNING A
SUBJECT LITTLE UNDERSTOOD.
For Heal Socalization Fowls Excel-Ex-
perience with Horses-A Matter
of Heredity-Passions Plainly
Told i'm Bird Language.

Toid i'm Bird Language.
..E F. T." in St Louis Globe Democrat
This subject of animal language interests
NE more and more, for l find il is not
merely power they have, but a very cul-
tivabis power If you will talk with the
creatures in your back yard, they soon get
not only TO understand your general mean
ing, hut TO reply with notifications Of
sound that are me ant for you in particular.
One or two hens in flock will show partic-
ular aptitude in telling you what they
think Some horses have, or can have, an
&C tave Of sounds and express very nice
grada.ions OF dislike and pleasure, even up
TO defined laughter. Other animals laugh,
notably bird, with articulate sounds.
Some wears since / owned a horse, with
which / undertook 70 drive TO a neiy hboring
town over the hills IN winter. \ spot
Of hidden ice suddenly tripped her. and
for time it was impossible for her TO get
up. But by efforts that entirely exhausted
mo | finally got her on foot again. She
never forgot 1t. But my approach 70 the
stable was invariably welcomed by cor1ial
neighs, and that no. sufficing, she wouA put
her head airectionately on my shoulder or
under my arm On another occasion a pet
Morgan called me, while l was engaged fifty
rods from the barn. with loud and persistent
call tat | in family understood meant
troaji-. Going hastily t. the stables, found
the COWS hal broken down a door and were
capable Of doing mischief. As soon as APP
prolch d the horse gave satisfied whinny,
followed by a long sigh OF relief, and went
to eating quietly.
But for real vCcalization the fowls surpaSs
al l. Id \ l,a,- L,I
roo ter that had remarkable power of
laugbilg. No one could possibly hear him
without doing as he would when Cough
aushs-!augh with him. Now, Il dog has q
diiTasel laugh all over, but especially con-
centrates a chuckle in his tail The dog.
tail is the mos: cultured tail among ami.
malS. Il not only laugh, bat it talks. The
tail OF u COW las no more sense than an OK
CAD, and a horses tail Is not much wiser.
TEey even lash file, in l0oss way that shows
they don't know, excep. IN Il general way,
where the fly l. 1t was necessary that men
should lose such a brainles' appendage. A.
the brain increases tie tail decreases, and
laughing and talking go over to the brain.
In studying animal language We must
study, rot only their power Of adaptabiiity
to Us, but our power OF adaptation TO them.
That l., having ourselves evolved our Ian.
gJags from tbs sign and emotional stage,
there still IS in u, a CAPACITY for going back
10 those creatures that have not yet come
up t. ali intelligent language; We can put
forth an effort TO meet them half way.
Profess r Bartholomew with his trained
hore talks with them in equine language.
IL needs 10 drop words and throw expression
into term. Ia that way and for that rea
son sinSin; bring us nearer - the most OF
VI
con-tan.Iy talk - animals as if they under
stood u, We shall firl ourselves involuntar
ily modifying cur sounds, and shall lie sur.
Fri Ell - ind how much they evidently com
prchcnd cur meaning.
The r,l-tol> whicA We Us ums to animals
rapidly moiife, their articulation 1t is
not the parrot only that learns TO TALL from
human intercourse, but all animals and
bird, a " II You have only to test this in
your Ov.i yarl or on your farm. have a
hon c that vixen purchased. knew human be-
inGs n IN some unpleasant side, AM was &C
custamcl 20 put On terrible pretenscs OF &c
vour.n. sta.l boys. They had probably de-
served II be eaten. She never vocaiized ex-
Cept u snort OF anger, and declined any
familiarity She is now capable o. ex-
pressing ierselt in a way that would satisfy
Dean swift. There is a consciousness in
every motion that she is conversing with
unc: and h has quite a vocal range of If.
lection anl inquiry.
That TIA, Is capable of becomin, a mat.
ter Of Ecreiity you can determine In a short
tam. TRY with small herd OF cows or
feel. Il Sleep to breed for intelliy cnce AM
expire sion and you will find that your herd
is even more capable of evolution and nat
;Tai selection in ths moral and emotional
La, tan in physical characteristics OF a
! wcr ora | have had a breed of cows to
III, > XIII generation In only one or two
crosses La, thi, stock failed of peculiar mild
ms 81 dispositions; in those exceptions the
iG;c.!i :cnce was more than ever markell,
IL. VITA a tendency 10 trickery. But in all
ca, the evident desire to communicate
aud express emotions 10 human beings has
been pref sminant, AMI the ability has, |
think. increased a Jersey COW rarely lows,
hut la a range Of soft, kindly sound, for
her human friends.
la all case IT is necessary 10 remember
that animal language, like human language,
begin, tie level Of emotional life; and in
ne!ttar ga rises often to tic purely intel
lsCtulL |. i Eut impossible 20 meet men
fr m me %: the -lish counties and the
IrisA whose vocabulary does not exceei 2)J
or ) 70 wuris. Il we are to believe reports,
Ai-;rliians have fewer Articulation Is
Ia.rc.s Intellectual affair - cover IDEAS TN
le> - il the Iaimicry Of parrots. The
animal !!le does not require IL 1t reqires
only ejaculation AMI projected sounds
modified iy passion or emotion. Love, haste,
anger desire are PLAINLY toll in bird
lan-ua 20 as in the machinery of human
wor.S lni.el, tie ianSuagr Of animals
tells ali ihesa things more emphatically and
gracefully Words express love only when
taev borrow the moiulationS OF the dove.