Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1888-09-22
Anf,na, Pccnliari.ips.

peculiar traits HOollG thetil tilab= We
viii; !ova to observe and stutiy, ;lnf.
nothing gives ia greater pleasure
'tlian 10 discover that Fido can tln
neat little TRICKS OH the a.o?, or
that Billy, the horse, has peen!-
i:,rly sensitive essr for ninNic. O?
that f'et. our f;.voIi'e citiarJ bird.
cali initiate the songs ind cries o.
a. dozen or more different birds as
easily as . professional mocking
bird. How far animal intelligence
goes re cannot tell until we have
experimental, md then Wien we
have exhausted our patience we
are not absolutely certain that we
have reached the limits Of the lit
tie creatures capabilities. More
wonderful things than Our grand.
fathers ever dreamed Of are being
discovered in dumb animals every
year ana it is reasonable to sup.
mse hat the present generation
OF bays ant girls, the men ali' wo-
rnes. OF the futnre, viii tini out
facts about the animal worl,; and
ANIMAL intelligence tina. would az.
tonish the people Of today. We
ssre really pioneers yet in th's in
teresting branch OF natural history.
But, meanwhile. what have we
discovered that may lie Of interest
to young readerSf 1t is nothing
new to say that certain animals
are affected by music, for tie an
clients knew this long before the
white people had discovered Ameli-
ca. In Africa the natives have
been accustomed TO catch lizards
nv means of music for ages past;
how many ages we cannot say
When they find Il lizard hasking
in thesslln, the negroes begin 10
whistle to the creature. The ami
mal, charmed blythe music, stretch
es ont it's neck and allows its enc
my TO approach its side and tickle
its throat with a rod. Dogs are
likewise strangely fond of music,
and they set up howl which cor
responds probably to Oursinging IN
soon us the first wang of the harp
il heard. Some music loving dogs
can be trained to take the exact
unison of 81 time. making a infer.
esting exhibition of themselves to
by-standers. Elephants also nave
the faculty of approaching certain
kinds Of musical sounds, and they
can be taught to move in time to
them. aud even to join their own
voices in the accompaniment OF
drnm and trumpet.
Many other animals and insects
have - responsive chord IN them to
Harmonious sounds. The famous
Pied Piper of Hamlin had such an
influence over children when he
blew on his pipe that they were
compelled TO follow him whcreso
ever no willed, and when the good
people of the town offered rim
large sums of money to rid The
place OF rats, he set to piping i'll The
streets, until all The "brown rats,
black rats, small rats, large "ats, "
and I'll other kinds of rats, follow
cd him i'll a flock down 20 the riv-
er. We all know that this is a
myth, an untrue tale, but herd OF
stays Will often follow bagpipe
and violin for a long distance, ey
en- as the fable rats followed the
Piper of Hamlin. Seals Will also
follow u boat q long distance in
which somo one is playing on u
bagpipe. Spiders have, too, been
known TO come out Of their webs
and crawl down the sides OF he
wall at the sound OF muac, seem
ingly enchanted by the sounds, bnt
.hurrS ing back to their hiding place
as soon AS Ehe Intlsic ceased.
The spiders are also pretty good
'harpr,etars or weather guides. III
the summer time they fasteD their
webs tc trees OF fences by unusu.
ally short threads when the wealth
er is is going TO be rainy or windy.
This is TO prorect them from the
rough elements. But when fair
wtalhe is to follow the tfreadsMe
heightened and made very fine and
delicate.
Other peculiar habits Of animals,
birds aud insects are many and
curious. A book could be filed
with interesting observations con-
corning them. Probably many have
read OF birds that can sleep upon
the ocean waves during heavy
storms; Of carrier pigeons that can
find their way home If set free hum
dreds Of miles away; of camels that
weep when danger Is near: OF deer
THAI scent danger on the wind; Of
birds that always have a sentinel
perched on high tree when they
feed, and of many other curious
characteristics of the dnmb crea.
lures, which furnish fresh illnstra-
ion of their great intelligence
Geo. 4. Walsh, in N. Y. llldeptpd
ant.