The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1888-08-18
ANIMAL PECULIARITIEs.

Our dumb animals have many peculiar traits
about them that we all love to observe and
study, and nothing gives us greater pleasure
than to discover that FidO can do neat little
tricks on the floor, or that Billy, the horse,
has peculiarly sensitive ear for music or that
Pet, our favOrite canary bird, can initiate the
songs and cries of dozen or more different
birds as easily as professional mocking bird
How far animal intelligence goes we cannot
tell until we have experimental, and then
when we have exhausted our patience we are
not absolutely certain that we have reached
the limits of the little creatures capabilities
More wonderful things than our grandfathers
ever dreamed of are being discoverd in dumb
animals every year and it is reasonable to sup
pose that the present generation of boys and
girls, the men and women of the future, will
find out facts about the animal world and ami
NAL intelligence that would astonish the people
ofto-day. We are really pioneers yet in this In
teresting branch of natural history.
But, meanwhile, what have we discovered
that may be of interest to young readers? 1t
is nothing new to say that certain animals are
affected by music for the ancients knew this
long before the white people had discovered
America. In Africa the natives have been ac-
customed to catch lizards by means of music
for ages past; how many ages we cannot say
When they find a lizard basking in the sun,
the negroes begin to whistle to the creature
The animal, charmed by the music stretches
out its neck and allows its enemy to approach
are likewise strangely fond of music and they
set up howl which corresponds probably to
our singing, as soon as the first twang of the
harp is heard. Some music loving dogs can be
trained to take the exact unison of tune
making interesting exhibition of themselves
to by-standers. Elephants also have the facul-
ty Of appreciating certain kinds of musical
sounds, and they can be taught to move in
time to them, and even to Join their own
voices IN the accompaniment of drum and
trumpet.
Many other animals and insects have re-
spOnsiTe 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
WheresOeyer he willed and when the good peo-
pie of the town offered him large sums of
money to rid the place Of rats, he set to piping
in the streets, until all the ''brown rats, black
rats, small rats large rats" and all other kinds
of rats, followed him in a flock down to the
river. We all knowsthat this is myth, an un-
true tale, but herd of stays will often follow
a bagpipe and violin for long distance, even
as the tabled rats followed the Piper of Hamlin.
Seals will also follow boat long distance in
which some one is playing on a bagpipe--
Spiders have, too, been known to come out of
their webs and crawl down the sides of the
wall at the sound of music, seemingly enchant-
ed by the sounds, but hurrying back to their
hiding place as soon as the music ceased.
Next to music the weather probably affects
the animal creation more than anything else.
Certain birds always predict storms or fair
weather by their cries. Snails will come
abroad just before rain, and begin to climb
trees and plants, concealing themselves on the
under-side of a leaf if it is going to be severe
storm. These are usually called tree snails-
Another species will open small holes in the
ground ten days before rain, and still others
will change their color from yellowish hue
during the storm to blue afterward
The spiders are also pretty good barometers
or weather guides. In the summer time they
fasten their webs to trees or fences by unusual
ly short threads when the weather is going to
be rainy or windy. This is to protect them
from the rough elements. But when fair
weather is to follow the threads are heightened
and made very fine and delicate.
Other peculiar habits of animals, birds and
insects are many and curious. A book could
be filled with interesting observations concern
ing 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 hundreds of miles
away; of camels that weep when danger is
near; of deer that scent danger on the wind;
of snakes that run and bury their heads in the
ground at the sound of the swishing of whip
through the air; of birds that always have a
seminal perched on high tree when they
feed, and of many other curious characteristics
of the dumb creatures which furnish fresh
illustration of their great intelligence.-Ge
Ethelbeth Walsh, in ". Y. Independent.