The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-26
LANGUAGE OF THE BIRDS.
HI0HLY DEvELOPED. SAYS PROF
WOOD OF DARLINGTON
Their speech Superior to That of Monkeys
wild Turkeys Have n Dozen Words to
Express Their EmotioDs-Larga Nocabu-
larry OF the Hen-SiI.nt Bird Language.

Their speech Superior to That of Monkeys
wild Turkeys Have n Dozen Words to
Express Their Emotions-Large Nocabu-
larry OF the Hen-Silsnt Bird Language.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 5--prof Nelson r.
Wood. tsxidermist OF the National Museum. has
completed study Of the sounds Of birds and after
years Of invcstig alton he in prepared 10 maintain
that they have language
Il don't want to be understood saying that
It Is Of high order of Development said Prot
Wood. because long study Of the subject has dc
yelopcd the fact that the language Of BIRDS while
sufficient for their somewhat limited needs, in
necessarily crude. And yet do not hesitate 10
say that bird language is far ahead of anything
thus far developed by or likely 10 come Of inycsti
cations into the talk Of monkcys
-As l said recently before the American Or
nithologists Union, tho language of birds is now
well enough defined by careful study 10 classify
II as such Ii impossible TO deulonstr ate In print
practically how far progress as been NJ AIDE In the
development Of bird language. because II is
only by correctly initiating the various sounds Of
| bird notes expressing different feelings that We
| can demonstrate the wonderful gifts they have
AN interesting phase Of the study OF bird Ian
Euage is the discovery that il not tho most highly
| developed birds that have the greatest variety OF
sounds, expressing different things and therefore
| tho largest vocabulary ON tho contrary, tho
common field crow has vocabulary more express
| sivo and Of wider range than many OF the finest
song birds In all the comparisons however.
| l except the parrot which regard az more " a
| human than bird
The bird language has notes indie ting all tho
| emohons-envy, love, Jealousy contentment
| alarm pain. pleasure. II is sufficiently compre-
hensIve for the needs Of the different families and
thatiiis thoroughly understood even by the young
| birds at an cir!v stage is demonstrated TO the
satisfaction vi all who have given the subject any
serious and intelligent consideration.
Il assert that the language % birds is OF higher
| order than anything 1t is possible tV m AXE out Of
the chatter OF band OF monkeys And yet do
| not place the bird ahead II the monkey in tho
scale of Intelligence. II is the monkeys initiative
faculty whi,h imprcssrs HIS chattering sounds
are not Susceptible Of intelligent graduation iato
more III all the sn picr expressions
| The American wild turkey. one Of the finest
| fowls Of the Western world. or the Eastern for
that matter affords one OF tho best nusir al tons
OF the versatility Of bird language Il has a
vocabulary Of at least dozen words well defined
! For instance It's constant peril from half a dozen
sources, overhead aud under.ool renders necessary
| different notes 10 express tho kind Of danger.
whether immediate VI prospective and the sUuIcc
! whether In the air VI ON the ground. For danger
| overhead a. from hawk OF an eagle where tho
peril is still remote. the turkey has q low note.
| well drawn out which cautions every member Of
! the flock. For immediate danger II gives an en-.
ufely different nO;c, quick sharp. prolonged,
remuluus meaning; HIDE. the enemy the
! enemy
when danger threatens from a fox or a dog
dIsunct signal must 10 used From the hawk
or the eagle the turkey must hide on the ground
| IN tho underbTush. From tho dog or mo fox no
| must ty up into mo ueoA Thus when tho dog
/ -,
same note A. the lying signal il used when there
! ~ suspicion OF danger an the ground, e1c-p,
that The mote n prolonged instead Of beng quickly
utSer'sl The instant the wHruInl. II danger from
/ an unknown enemy ON the ground o., hear every
/ bird In the nsks ccsN's 'e,'4Iu-. With nccks
el9ng iied. Looking carefully IA every direction.
] the 1ocS circles around until u has covered an
area great enough 10 she" that lhs alarm was
| groUndle>S
| when feeding in n.li where the food ~ plcn-
J niui and VI the kind u likes tho turkey has
1 sOUCd Of coutratnrui. Varying at tho different
stages unil the hnal word from the patriarch
| Of the iloSk checks the meal instantly aud away
they go. The turkey also has words OF sounds
| VI defiance, ofhn combined with tho yubbls 4
| the malr. Its vocabulary includes a ringing
note Of cxultauon when no has conquered a zoo
and distinct and characteristics expressions tot
envy, want. pam. pleasure, alarm. or comfor,
Generally the sung Of the singing bird - merely
Aeau toI IL male When the canary in It's gtlded
| csge aings loud-st 10 ia usually q coll OF agony
instead II pleasure II Is pouring out music
from IL throat Ia tho mad cndcnyur ,o coli 10,
absrni mate TO IT. -ide, Correctly interpreted II
an appeal fur freedom. APPEAL Tor the happineSs
Ol old NRsn wish It's mate t wandescd FREQ IN tho
empire VI tie air Tho male 81 niger has q love
song which IL poiirs out In the prpIiGsl!ty Of its
| happiness when the love dream ~ young Eba,
also a low. soothing song which 10 sings W it,
mate while She - nesting Tho bird songs Of
fall are for pleasure only. Few sing much beyond
tho courtship and breeding sca~nn. Tho notes
OF The song bind therefore are more or less those
| VI want VI pleasure and VI love
| In my investing atoms / have found shat tn,
| hen bird Of the domestic chicken has a. nuent
| command Of language almost any niember
| OF the feathorod uibo. She Is n much moro nuen,
| talker than tho male. her lord and master and
! her vocabulary discounts anything thus far
discovered In this particular field of investigation
| The cackie OF tho hen Is used. for instance, for
| three distinct purposes and has as many dis
unctive notes She usns In seeking The nest
rwhen calling for her matc. one soft note another
| OF aarm when very much frightened: another
| OF Triumphant rejoicing hs Aha either Hies from
tho nest, or 10 II. Likewise. she has three songs
OF distinct types, the love song q happy respon 80
| TO the eager courting Of her mate tho song OF
| Indifference whcn idly hunting for food, indi.
eating no certain purpose in her movements
the lullaby song. a low, grooming. soothing note,
hushtng the young chickens to sleep
Il have frequently experimental with tho lul-
| laby song by initiating the low. soothing notea
and little chickens, held in the bands and thus
sung TO IN the language they understand, will
quickly fall asleep Tho mother hen has also
various notes for warning her brood She uses
harsh, sharp, combination OF cacklc and cry 10
warn them OF snake, or an unknown object ON
the ground, while 10 notify them that she con.
sdcrs certain ioOd unfit for them she utilizcs
variation OF tho slumber song. A certain,
sharp prolonged note is used by tho hen to keep
strange chickens from her brood. and how well the
little, fluffy mites understand the mother tongue,
may DO noted by observing In any poultry yard,
how twenty hens with as many broods. nearly
all Of the same sgo. will Keep every member Of
her particular family In lima There Is no mixing
The babies in tho chicken world. Every little