Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1893-06-01

Effect OF Different Instruments Upon
the Brute Creation.

A curious account of the effects of
various kinds Of music on different ami
mails is given by writer in the Specta-
tor. The general order of the expert
ments, based upon the supposition that
animal nerves are not unlike our own,
was 80 arranged that the attention of the
animals should be first arrested by low
and gradually increasing volume OF
sound, in those melodious minor keys
which experience showed them to prefer.
The piccolo was then to follow in shrill
and high pitched contrast; after which
the flute was to be played to soothe the
feelings ruflled by that instrument.
Pleasure and dislike were often most
strongly shown where least expected;
and the last experiment indicated
stronger disikes, If not stronger prefer
ences, in the musical scale, in the tiger
than in most intelligent anthropoid apes.
With "Jack, I" a six-months old red orang
outang, Gas the sounds of the violin
began, he suspended himself against the
bars, and then, with one hand above his
head, dropped the other to his side, aud
listened with grave attention. He
then crept away on all fours, looking
back over his shoulder, like frightened
baby" and covered himself with his piece
of carpet Then his fear gave place to
pleasure, and he sat down, with smoothed
hair, and listened to the music. The
piccolo at first frightened him, but he
soon held out his hand for the in
strument and was allowed to examine
it. "The flute did not interest him,
but the bagpipcs reproduced on the
vioin--achieyed a triumph" The capu-
chins were busy eating their break
fast; ''but the violin soon attracted an
audience. The capuchins dropped their
food and chung to the bars, listening,
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 silent assembly
of dozen macaques, all listening atten-
lively to the concert which their neigh
bors 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 favorite." When
the flute was played to the elephant,
he stood listening with deep attention,
one foot raised from the ground and
its whole body STILL 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 snorting and stamping its
feet. The violin was less disliked, but
the signs of disapproval were unmistak
able" The deer were strongly attracted
by the violin, and showed equal pleasure
at the tones Of the flute. The ostrich
seemed to enjoy the violin and flute,
though it showed marked dislike at the
piccolo "The ibexes were startled at
the piccolo, first rushing forward to
listen, and then taking refuge on pile
of rock, from which, however, the softer
music of the flute brought them down to
listen at the railing. The wild asses and
zebras left the hay with which their
racks had just been filed; and even the
tapir, which lives next door, got up to
listen to the violin; while the flute set
the Indian wild ass kicking with excite
ment. But the piccolo had no charms
for any of them, and they all returned
to their interrupted breakfasts" A
sleeping tiger was awakened by the
soft playing of the violin near
its cage; listened to the music for
time Sin very fine attitude" then
''purred," lay down again, and dozed.
At the first notes of the piccolo, it
''sprang to its feet and rushed up and
down the cage, shaking its head and
ears, and lashing its tail from side to
side. As the notes became still louder
and more piercing, the tiger bounded
across the den, reared on its hind feet,
and exhibited the most ludicrous CON
trast to the calm dignity and repose
with which it had listened to the violin.
With the flute, which followed, the
tiger became quiet, the leaps subsidized to
a gentle walk, and coming to the bars
and standing still and quiet once more,
the animal listened with pleasure to the