Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-09-28
Orpheus ut the Zoo.

The London Spectator gives an interest
ing account of renewed experiments with
different musical instruments upon the an
imals in the Geological Gardens:
''Our frs. visit was paid to Jack, the
young red ourang outang, which, since the
death of Sally the chimpsnzee, claims
the highest place in animal organization
among the inmates of the Zoo. He is a
six-months old baby, of extremely grave
and deliberate manners, and perhaps the
most irresistibly comical creature which
has ever been seen in London. He is ex-
tremely well behaved, not in the least shy,
and as friendly with strangers as with his
keeper. His arms are as strong as those
of a man, while his legs and feet seem to
be used less for walking than as a subsidi-
ary pair of arms and bands. He is thus
able, when much interested, to hold his
face between two hands, and to rest his
chin on a third, which gives him an air of
pondering reflection beyond any power of
human imitation. He knows there's
something up remarked his keeper, as we
entered the house, and the ape came TO the
bars and sat down TO inspect his visitors.
As the sounds of the violin began he sus-
pended himself against the bars, and then,
with one hand above his head, dropped the
other to his side and listened with grave
attention. AS the sound increased in vol
ume he dropped to the ground and all the
hair on his body stood up with fear. he
then crept away on all fours, looking back
over his shoulder like frightened baby,
and taking up his piece of carpet, which
does duty for a shawl, shook it out, and
threw it completely over his head and
body, and drew it tight round him. After
a short time, as the music continued, he
gained courage and put out his head, and
at last threw away tine cloak and came for
ward again. By this time his hair was ly-
ing fat, and his fear had given place to
pleasure. He sat down, and, chewing
straw, sat grsvely listening to the music.
'He looks Just like our manager when q
new piece is on remarked our violinist,
as he concluded his share of the serenade.
The piccolo at fret frightened the monkey,
but he soon held out his hand for the in
| strument, which he was allowed to exam
| inc. The flute did not interest him, but
the bsgpipes-reproduced on the violin
achieved triumph. He just fsttened his
nose against the bars, and then, scram-
| bling to the center of the cage, turned
| head over heels, and lastly, sitting down,
chucked hsndfuls of straw in the air and
over his neAQ, smlllD2, as the Keeper SAID,
with delight and approval.
"The capuchin monkeys are now kept in
a large cage next TO one containing a num-
ber of gray macaques. The little capu-
chins were busy eating their breakfast;
but the violin soon attracted an audience
The capuchins dropped their food, and
coming to the bare, listened, with their
| heads on one side, with great attention.
The keeper drew our notice to the next
cage. There, clinging in rows to the front
wires, was a silent assembly of dozen
macaques, all listening intently to the con-
cert which their neighbors were enjoying.
At the first sounds of the flute most of
these ran away; and the piccolo excited
loud and angry screams from all sides.
Clearly in this case the violin was the fa-
vorite. We then decided to take the opin-
| ion of some of the largest and least vi
/ vacious animals, and selected the young
African elephant for our next auditor.
As this animal had shown the utmost dis
the flute was employed to open the con-
cert, and with complete success. The
elephant stood listening with deep atten-
ton, one foot raised from the ground,
and its whole body still-a rare conces-
| sion to the influence of music from one
| of the most restless of all animals. So
long as the flute continued it remained
motionless and listening. But the change
to the piccolo was resented. After the
first bar the elephant twisted round and
| stood with its back to the performer,
whistling and snortipg and stamping its
feet. The violin was less disliked, but
the signs of disapproval were unmistak-
able. The deer, as before, were strange
ly attracted by the violin and showed
equal pleasure in the tones of the fute
the gemul deer, for instance, ran MP a,
once to listen to the latter, thsir ear,
and tails being in constant movement a
every change of tone or tune. Even th,
! stEioh seemed to enjoy the violin sai