Natchitoches populist., 1898-07-08
ANIMALS THAT SING,

II Is Well-knOWn IacG tHdG many
animals are attracted by music, and
many anecdotes are told of mice and
other animals which have come from
their holes to listen to the sound of a
sweet-toned instrument. The snake
charmers cf India have for centuries
made Use of this fact, in entieing dead
ly snakes by means Of weird music
played on stringed instruments.
But, besides being attracted by
musical sounds, many animals other
than birds, al times utter sounds very
different from their ordinary cries,
which are very sweet, and may fairly
be called singing.
Most people have heard of singing
mice. They are not very frequently
heard of in this country, but in some
foreign countries, notably Germany
and France, Thsy are rather common.
They are common mice that are sup
posed to have q disease of the throat,
which makes them utter noise like
the note of canary. They are not q
distinct species.
man while hunting in the woods
near Dover, n. H.. heard what sound
ed like the singing of bird among
the branches, a short distance from
him. The note was so peculiar that
he turned his steps toward the sound
to find ont what species of bird was
making it. 70 his utter amazement
he found that it came from red
squirrel, sitting upright on bough,
singing away as if in love with its
own melody. At sight of him the
little creature stopped, but as he re-
mained perfectly still, it presently
piped again.
In speaking of the quality OF the
melody, he compared it to the single
note of the canary unusually pro-
longed, with no variation except in
rising and falling, and increase or de-
crease of volume. He said it had
nothing in it OF the scolding character
associated with the chattering of the
Northern red squirrel. There was
no visible movement of the throat in
the production of the sound. From
time to time it would stop singing
and, after lapse of two or three
minutes, start up again, always be-
ginning with a low note, increasing
in volume until shortly before the
next pause. 1t may have been a call.
There have been several well-au-
thenticated instances of singing fish.
Naturalists, however. have generally
accepted Cuvier's view, that ''the ex-
istence of fishes is q silent, emotion
less and joyous one, but recent OBJ
servations tend to show that many
fishes emit vocal sounds.
There used to be tame seal in an
aquarium in hesouth of England that
would play tricks at the instance OF
it's keeper. Among other accomplish
,nents it would sing when told to do
SO. Those who heard it, describe the
sounds as peculiarly musical and
sweet, though very weird and mourn
full.
Living near Tarrytown, N. Y, is a
gentleman who owns several dogs.
1t was his habit to go to the back of
the house every morning and toot on
horn, such Us is used On a coach.
The dogs would all gather around
him, keeping perfectly silent until he
had finished, when they would en-
deavor to initiate him. After he had
been doing this for some time he no.
ticed that one of the dogs in his at
tempts uttered several sounds that
were really true musical notes. So
he purchased a cornet and played on
it before this one dog. After some
time, he says, the dog could repro.
duce accurately any note he played
on the instrument.
Every one has heard The legend of
the swan, which sings a song few
days before ii dies. Instances might
thus be multiplied. showing that
other animals besides man and the
song birds are at times possessed OF
an ability to make musical sounds.