The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-11-15
MUSIC AFFECTS ANIMALS.
INSTANCES OF THE FORMERS POW
FER OVER THE LATTER.
How Harmonious Sounds Make an
Impression Upon Dogs, Rats. Tur-
ties, Fish and Snakes.

Stephen Mulvey, a New
~ York dog fancier, in re-
ply to the statement that
the prolonged and peculiar howl ut
tered by some dogs at the sound OF
music is evidence that it distresses
them. "Don't you believe it. Their
souls are lifted up by it. That is their
way of expressing joy. I don't think
music ever worried any dog"
care there not some breeds more
liable to be influenced than others?''
was asked by News reporter.
breeding has nothing to do with
it, was the reply. "You find some
people who don't care straw for
music. And again there are others
who, without understanding q note,
are passionately fond of it. It's just
SO with dogs. It depends on the indi-
vidual character of the animal
sis it not fact that dogs of high
nervous Development are most apt to
be affected?"
"You can't lay down any rule as to
that. In my opinion it isn't at all a
question of nerves. There are ner-
vous people who are quite Indifferent
to music, and there are phlegmatic
people who will go out of their way to
hear it. You seeI compare dogs with
men, and draw my conclusion from
the comparison, because have made
long study of dogs and find that
dogs are more like human being than
are any other animals.
''Look at that big white bulldog
yonder," continued Mr.. Mulvey.
That's Prince, who made such rack
ct at the bench show that they had to
chain him up in the cellar His grand
father killed nearly hundred dogs,
and Prince is like his grandfather, yet
if you pipe for him you'd find that
he'd just as lief dance as fight.
Mr.. Montgomery, an amateur nat
uralist on West Fourty-seventh street,
confirmed Mr.. Mulvey's statement
that dogs are generally fond of music.
81 have known even fishes to mani
fest very positive qualification Mt
musical sounds" he said also. 'You
have heard the story OF the carp in the
waters at Fontainebleau that respond
ed regularly to the tinkllng of a bell.
1t is undoubtedly true story. In my
aquarium there is a gold fish which 1
have had for several yea IS. It knows
me as we'll as my dog. When l whistle
to it it comes to the surface and feeds
out of my hand. Adjoining the room
in which the aquarium stands is a
piano. Let any one play on it and
this gold fish will dart about in the
livellest possible fashion"
''You think it has Il sense of har-
mony them"
81 know it has. That is shown by
the fact that mere humping on the
piano, without producing any tune,
does not affect it. 1t will lie as still as
if the instrument were silent. The
other fish do not seem to have an ear
for music. *
"But spesp~0S3s, dogs, there is a
cocker span :: in Philadelphia, who
beats the record for musical proclivi-
ties" the speaker continued. "He
belongs to a surgeon at one Of the
hospitals. Not only is he quick to
recognize melody, but his master has
actually taught him to turn tune. 1t
sounds like fairy story, I know, but
it is an authentic fact. He lifts his
chin, presses his ears close to his
head, like dog in the act of bowling,
and gives vent to cry that has both
measure and melody
The following incident occurred at
the Brooklyn Academy of Music: 1t
was during performance by the late
Hans Won Bulow, the famous pianist.
He was playing one of Schubert's
compositions-a soft, pensive strain,
which he rendered with exquisite feel
ing and delicacy. Presently two rats
peeped from behind the scenes and
cautiously approached the piano. In
minute or so they were fol-
lowed by three or four more. Finally
they all esconced themselves under
the instrument and sat there upon
their launches, listently intently, un-
doubtedly charmed by the strains.
The player was unconscious of the
strange audience which his perform
ance attracted, but the extraordinary
spectacle was witness by nearly every
body in the house.
''Some years ago." Mr.. Montsomer
said further, 81 had pet crow whi'
was as intelligent and mischievous'
pet crows usually are. I gave it pa
present to the little daughter "a
friend of mine This friend was ane
performer on the flute, and he zen
employed his talent to beguile eold
rat that frequented his back var de
used to amuse callers by takinfown
his flute and giving them prooo1 us
power over the susceptible rodtt. on l
one occasion, while the rat wssltslng |
listening to this performancethe pet I
crow happened to be peresd a. an
open window on the second DRY. IL
was not crow that cared f. tnat sort l
of thing. Indeed, I neve-earu OF c
crow that did. SuddenI Whiie the S
flute was emitting its ISL duicet l
notes, there was fappi, OF wings a
and the bird descended Ike bolt c
from it's perch. Wheth the rat was f
too spellbound to be OF uard against S
surprise, or the attacks 100 sudden v
go be avoided, ! don'tlow' Certaln b
it is, however, that t'crow struck II
in the back of the n WIN us peah a
ond k;lled l. instant It is the only v
1850 oon rooou az animal that was S
soor;foo5 =, ito no IN for music" "
There is re,eman residing on u
Vast Seventaent street, who has g
srn,,ner rosi5e, in Westchester D
Conntv One oils little girls found f
o oommon wo turtle there and u
brougbt II 5oxo the city in the fall Il
She Kept it in back yard, where it 81
speedily madele acquaintance of the Il
20 tumble down the a