The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-14
MONKEYS TALK.
That Is What Professor Garner Of
Smithsonian Institute Says.

Il have just returned from trip to Chi
cago and Cincinnati, in both of which cities
l spent good deal of time geological gar
dening and secured number of valuable
photograph records Of monkey conversation
on cylinders"
So spoke Professor r. L. Garner OF Roam
oke. honorary curator of the Smithsonian
Institute. to Washington Star reporter re-
Gently, and added:
My purpose in the experiments 1 am
making Is to obtain an analysis of the lam
guage Of monkeys that will enable me to
make out some sort of rude vocabulary of
their tongue. This accomplished, / am
sure that can establish communication by
words with them, SO as to effect an inter
change of ideas. In fact, can see no rea-
SON why man and monkey should not
eventually converse together, the one requi-
site being that the man shall be acquainted
with the monkeys speech. The latter is
exceedingly simple, and the key to it once
obtained, most easily learned. 1t can hardly
be expected of the monkey that he shall ac-
quire human language.
at is with view to getting hold of this
key 10 the simian tongue that l an taking
advantage OF every opportunity to procure
records on photograph cylinders OF sounds
uttered by monkeys. The managers of the
ZOOS in Cincinnati and Chicago exhibited
much interest in my recent experiments in
those cities. and did their best to help me
with them. Indeed, fnd on all sides
most cordial sympathy with the inquiry
am making in this new line of scientific in
vestigation. The idea is entirely original
with myself, but my belief is that the study
of the languages of the lower animals is a
field that will before very long attract an
army of workers.
Already l can make a capuchin monkey
understand two words wherever | may meet
him. One of these words is milk and is
uttered by all of them, so far as l have been
able to discover, in precisely the same way.
On approaching any strange capuchin for
the tlrst time | salute him with the term,
which Invariably prOcures his attention and
good will. The word in question. however.
belongs only to that one species For you
must understand that different varieties of
monkeys employ vastly different languages,
the speech Of one variety being as little
known to another as Is the case among
tribes of men. But monkeys of the same
variety all use the same language, intelli-
gible for conversational purposes among
themselves. though possibly varied to a
slight degree by dialect. So far as l can find
out none OF the lower animals has range of
more than ten or twelve vocal sounds, but
these, being simply interjectionai, may be
so modified by eDunciatiOn as to make nouns
and verbs. Apparently the monkey has
forty or fifty words effectively at his conf
maud.
Il find that / can communicate to the
capuchin the fact that l am in pain, and can
make sick capuchin understand my SYM
patnles with his suffering. 1t is almost i'm
possible to give in printed letters illustra-
tons OF the vocal sounds of monkeys. mas
much as they are nearly all yowels. 1t can
be said. however, that the sounds are strik-
ingly like those uttered by human beings as
the expressions of similar emotions. The
vocal organs in the lower animals are COM
paratively documentary, but development
follows use and effort. All the words that
monkey needs he has at his command. In
cidentally to the modern advancement of
the human race thousands of words have
been added to eur own speech which were
not needed by our early progeniturs. You
will find certain tribes OF men described by
the Greek writer Strabo who had no Ian,
guage, but shrieked like wild beasts only
uttering very few sounds.
LAS for pal8olithic man of hundreds of
thousands OF years ago there are many
scientific authorities who assert that he was
actually dumb creature-aS dumb, that is
TO say, as the monkey is now. 1t is readily
observed that those animals which have
been associated with man for many genera
tions are capable of producing many more
which have not enjoyed the same advan-
tage. For example, the domestic cat is de-
cidedly superior in this respect to any other
beast OF the feline genus. The reason for
this is found in the change of environment
and association with multiplied ideas, in
creased wants, etc.
Low down in the scale of animal creation
you discover that signs are altogether em-
Dl0yed as means of communication. This
is eXemplified by insects, fish and reptiles
Among other things they readily under
stand any threat of attack made by their own
species. l myself have noticed that COM
mon red ants make use among themselves of
signs which they readily interpret.
am unable to say with any degree of
certainty what variety of monkey ia the
most intelligent, but am inclined to think
though this belief, founded upon observa-
ton, Is greatly at variance with the popular
idea-that the most intelligent specimens are
found among the smaller species and gener-
wise. My study of the chimpanZee disposes
me to surmise that its intelligence less closely
resembles that of man than is the case with
some of the smaller monkeys.
1T was only recently that the idea of
using tbs photograph to obtain records of
monkey vocal sounds for study occurred To
me. Through its aid hope to be able within
year to go long way toward making out
vocabulary or simian language, which will
serve as beginning in establishing inter-
communication. You must not Imagine
that propose to demonstrate the possibility
of converting the monkey into man. The
monkey will always remain a monkey, but
it may be that, by long-continued breeding
and educating. a race OF monkeys very far
superior to any at present existing can be
produced. When means of conyersiDg
with the monkey has been secured, it will
be time enough to think of the intellectual
and moral development Of our arboreai
cousins"