The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1894-07-31
CAN TALK.
PROFESSOR HAMERlK SAYS so, ANE
HE is AN EXPERT ON THE SUBJECT.


Some Odd and Interesting Facts About
Barnyard FowIs-Roosters as Well as
Hens Are Great Gossipers-Inside Infor-
nation About Growing.
The simians that Professor Garner
discovered in Africa and which he claims
can talk as readily as human beings will
have to look to their laurels, for Pro-
fessor Asger Hamerik of the Peabody
institute of Baltimore has made the
discovery that hens and ROSTERS of the
ordinary barnyard breed hold protracted
and interesting conversations with each
other.
The careful attention he has given
10 the subject has not been in vain. Al
though he has not yet advanced so far
In his researches as to be able to discuss
che topics of the day with his chickens,
ne has learned enough to be able to
tell what a hen means when she cack-
les, whether it is for a newly laid egg
or merely tale of woe or a paan of
triumph over the discovery of fresh
worm or a juicy grasshopper. He can
also tell you from the tones of arooster's
crow whether he is signaling 0 victory
over a conquered foe or merely passing
away the time or heralding the ap
proach of day.
The rooster has been the professors
pet subject He has been on the great
est terms of intimacy with Sir Chan
ticleer for upward of 20 years. "Roost
ers, said he to reporter, as well as
hens are the greatest gossipers in the
world. When they get together, they do
nothing but chatter continually. This
is true also of the young pullets have
watched them for hours at time, and
they would talk in this way" Here
the professor gave an imitation Of a hen
clucking and other of the sounds SO IA
miliar in the farmyard.
'"That they are conyersing with one
another is proved by the fact that
rooster or hen when alone is absolute
ly silent, excepting on rare occasions,
when it sings low lullaby, as it were,
to itself, much as humans hum when
alone or as cat will pur when content
ed. Just as soon, however, as the soil
tary hen or rooster meets another you
will hear an animated conversation.
have not progressed so far that am able
to understand all they say, but under
stand some of their sounds and can imi-
tate one or two SO successfully that
hen listening will pay close attention to
me. Thus il sound the note of alarm
a hen makes when hawk is near or
some other danger menaces she will i'm
mediately fly to cover
The professor believes chickens tell |
each other current news. One day he in
troduced new hen into his yard who,
the very first time she spied the cog, set |
up great cackling and flew around the
yard in state of evident terror. Ar.
old hen observed her for few minutes,
making some sounds that
were intended to reassure the scared
fowl, but which had no effect, for the
new arrival eackled worse and louder
than ever Finally the old hen approach
ed close to the stranger, chuckling in a
low tone. What she said he had no
means of knowing, but it must have
been something of a reassuring charac-
Ter, for the new hen at once ceased her
,latter, and never after that did she dis
play the least fear of the dog.
Growing among the ROSTERS afforde'
Professor Hamerik another interesting
study. He noted the crows of over 500
ROSTERS and never found two who
,rowed alike. Each, after little prac,
ice, could readily be distinguished from
he other. The duration of Growing is
between midnight and noon Each crow
asts from three to seven seconds Al
hough ROSTERS may crow at any time
# night, especially if it is moonlight OF
hey are disturbed by light, they crow
he most frequently at dawn or just
,efore.
The Growing seems to be sort of tel
graph service between the ROSTERS, ao-
ording to Professor Hamerik, for in
ariably in a neighborhood where there
re many chickens the Growing is al.
ways started in the morning by the
anne rooster. Immediately response
ONES from all the other ROSTERS. Gen.
rally there are about seven crows givea
n an interval of 10 seconds, and then
here is silence for the space of perhaps
0 seconds, when the first rooster starts
gain, and the performance is repeated.
! rooster always crows, too, shortly
fter eating, and never fails to voice
is joy in a deep toned crow after he
rival.
The professor has discovered, among
Their things, that chickens have a very
cute sense of taste, hearing and vision,
ut lack the sense of smell. The most
owerful fumes of acid are impercepti.
lie to them. An experiment with am
Ionia proved that, though overcome
18th it, the hens walked blindly into
le same danger repeatedly.
The sense of taste is exceedingly well
sveloped. The professor frequently OBJ
rived chicken after eating anything
particularly relished give vent to
ocular chuckle that was undoubtedly
cant for an exclamation of pleasure
he sound is low, soft information
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