New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-18
ORPHEUS AT THE ZOO.
HOW MUSIC AFFECTS ANIMALS.
From The London Spectator.

whether Orpheus himself might not fail 10 e; .um
within the precincts OF the Zoo. For il, on IL
one hand, the creatures 50 far share the bessipss
| of the golden age that they entertain Iik,es
rather than fear Of man, and have no dres1
! of a possible enemy behind the mask Of nos,s
! many Of them are no strangers 10 such forms !
1 IL as are produced by the harmony Of "A uasi
| which plays there weekly in summer EVENING" ~
those creatures which have lived Tor years I'm ~
part Of the gardens near the bandxtand.' H.
| sound of music Is no new thing and il was %
| sible that they might he as indifferent 10 4.
| strains as an organ-grinders monkey 10 the mu..
| of the street On the other hand, there mus, ~
| many 70 which, either from living az a distanss
| from the musical centre OF the bandSstand or IN
| separate buildings, such sounds are new and ur
| usual: and Others which are but recent arris,.
in the gardens fresh from tropical forests or ~
wastes and deserts of an unmuslcal world. In anv
case to listen 20 the distant strains Of brau
| band is q different experience from that enovsd
| in a chamber recital by Your own volin-plav.,
! one who can draw from his instrument by avn,
pathetic skill melodious chords. sounds soft ana
| weird grave and gay, strdent or tremuous hsr
monious or suddenly discordant, eye watching eys
| and quick to change or repeat a note as he NAH
| the varying expression OF emotion reused By sad
on animal faces sometimes strangely expressive o.
on others in which for minutes the eye alone dvss
| token even Of life. IL was on some Of these 40
the snakes and creeping things, that we prop1sT
| frst TO make trial of the powers of sound -park
| because Eastern traditions OF Snake-charminQ A,
some of the Oldest in the world partly becau~
IL they proved unresponslve this would still eavs
room to hope that creatures Of a higher orgri
cation and warmer blood might be more aprs
ciative; and lastly. the day was dark. with tnle,
and rain, and Orpheus himself. in his sylvan On
certs might have failed TO charm with wet4
strings.
Before visiting the cobras and the pythons "
made our way to theiinsect-house, with some desrs
of making trial Of the tarantula spider, our violrk
having theory OF his own that spiders had
liking for harmonious sound partly, too, from
mixed feeling that the tarantula, whose bite maks
i. IAt fn1lt-
others danes should se ne the ssrss
powers are objective only, for 1t remained IL n
corner sulky and unmoyed. Bat nest Of scorpian
was less Indifferent. After the piece Of bark b.
hind which these venOm0us creatures were Hk
ing had been gently overturned, and they had
settled down TO their usual semi-slumbrous stat
the violin played chords, at first gentle and
melodous, then rising to high and sustainH
series of piercing notes. In few moments, on
after another. the creatures began 10 move. N
mass became violently asitated, and the tayl
scorpions aw Ud Wben the sonSs,
they became still; when the loud, shrill ms
were played again, they. were again .sghak
The talking mynab. which lives in the va,
ecstatic hops, and whistled and coughed, aid
gave evidence that II at least was critical lissn,
TO the rival musician The pretty dsppM
japanese deer, which live In lttle paddock "
the path were our next audience and @w
passed them on our way to the snakes hous
few soft chords were played by way. OF thA
The deer were of once attracted, and drew ner
the ratings with ears pointed forward. Will
low pathetic chords were played, they stood sill
painting, but not unpleased. Al sudden discom
they sprang back, and shook their heads Loud,
quick music followed: but this failed 10 please;
they stood further off. stamped, and shook Their
heads again, looking excited and defiant. Butw
had not come to play to the deer that day Inc
snakes and pythons were our OBJECT, the more -
as we could play to these without interruption
from the interested visitors whose inconyeneli
attention our enterprise was beginning TO attraet
behind the scenes in the new reptile,house lla
most interesting region; and Orpheus mas PIE
scriptive right of entry to the arcana OF the sci.
pent-world We explained the object OF on
VISIT
"Cessit immanis mihi blandient
Janitor aulae'
and we were most kindly taken to the private side
Of snakeland at the Zoo There, II we may hos
" breakfast on basilisks' eggs as IN the lauo ..
Cleopatras asp we may at least see the ,raa
monitor lizard, which eats the eggs OF the ei9cS s
die,-or Of hens at the Zoo, where crocodI@
eggs are scarce. There, too, we may zee young
basilisks, or crocodiles, friskng in homely wasi
ing-pot Young rats too by the score, parti-colom
and piebald, the destined food for serpents ou
meantime in high spirits and playfully squeakins
1t was the very place for chamoer.concelt 70 .@
cobras, for the thick plate-gass before the eaga
shuts out the sound of the curious crowd III iroaS
while in the back of each compartment Is smail
square iron door, like those through when 1000 s
This door, in, the case Of poisonous snakes, Is &c!
high above the ground, and is reached by set Of
steps which travels on rail. 1t is therefore pos
sible to observe the creatures movements wills
the player of the music is out Of sight below.
The "dweler on the threshold" Of the snakes
Home Is the monitor lizard an active and formldanh
saurian some #. in length, whose watchfql habits
were said to give warning OF the approach OF the
crocodile 1t did not belle its reputation fof
watchfulness for the instant that 1t heard the
sounds Of the violin. through its opened door,
raised its head and stood alert and listening.
cessantly round its lips; soft, slow music fol.
lowed, and the lizard became quite still, eyeept
for gentle swayng o. the head from IS, slo eoS 70
ben Islands next claimed our attention, and CAV,
some evidence Of the way in which the physcai
condition Of the moment affects the sehsibilitls
Of these creatures. In the first cage they re-
manned absolutely torpid, looking exactly Is
IL carved out In polished ebony. In the next The
heads were raised at once, the forked tongues
played and Ind, at ,orsa sudden Tdsn ds Soc ess
was this quick repulsion caused by any
sudden movement Of the bow, for ne
player was invisible In the next cages 70 ,aes
werc some small boas. and Madame Pauluss
pythons, with which that lady used TO perform 10
o tank at the Royal Aquarium. The python,
showed no signs of interest except by 1uickensd
respiration but a boa was at once attracted BY
the music. As IL worked along the rounded rim
Of its circular bath In the direction Of the SOUNDS
1t gave beautiful exhibition Of that snake-rnoye
ing nor creeping, but gently enveloping portions
of the surface on which IL lay with Its lower
scales, and advancing noiselessly and almost IN
perceptibly Arrived at the side Of the bath
nearest to the door, it extended its head with :
kind of tremulous motion until IL obtained a view
of the violin. 1t remained for some minutes
motionless, with its eye fixed upon the instru,,
ment, until the music became loud and strdeoE
Then, in sinuous folds IL dropped like some verow
fluid to the ground, and slowly advanced TO tne
door, from which it was gently put back by is
keeper. :,
But the cobra is the snake TO which all traaf
ton points as most susceptible 10 musical sounus.
and we prepared to watch its attitude toward ins
violin with no little excitement and curiosity.
The accounts of Indian residents mainly agree IA
these serpents by the monotonous notes Of his
little bagpipes; that the sound is nealu
the snake rises, spreads its hood and often wure
To the music: and that under these condiuohs,
these venomons serncnts nav be handled WIN