New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-10
HOW BIRDS TALK.
GOVERNMENT EXPERT SAYS THAT
THEIR LANGUAGE Is SUPERIOR
TO THAT OF MONKEYS.
From The Pathfinder.

From The Pathfinder.
Much interest has been taken in the scientific
word or late about the languages Of various
animals and as our readers know, museum
Tor TINS study has been established at the Uni
VerSlty OF Pennsylvania. The popular notion
mas been that the monkeys would be found to
possess the most highly developed language. as
they are nigh in the scale of evolution. But now
comes some testimony in favor Of bird lam
guage. Professor Nelson r. Wood the taxider-
mist OF the National Museum here at Washing
ton mas been studying bird sounds for years.
Last week ne talked with n Washington CORE
spondent giving the gist Of his conclusions most
entertainingly and instructivey. as follows
Il don't want to be understood as saying that
II IS OF high order Of development" said Pro-
fessor Wood. because long study Of the subject
has developed the fact that the language Of
birds, while sufficient for their somewhat linn
tied needs, Is necessarily crude. And yet / do
not hesitate to say that bird language is far
ahead Of anything thus far developed by or
likely to come Of Investigations into the talk Of
monkeys.
"As l said recently before the American Or
nithoosists Union. the language Of birds is now
we'll enough defined by careful study to classify
IL as such. II is impossible to demonstrate in
print practically how far progress has been
made in the development OF bird language, be-
cause II IS only by correctly initiating the vari-
Gus sounds of bird notes expressing different
feelings that We can demonstrate the wonderful
gifts they have
AN interesting phase Of the study Of bird
language is the discovery that II is not the most
highly developed birds that have the greatest
variety Of sounds expressing different things,
and therefore the largest vocabulary. on the
contrary, the common field crow has vocabu-
larry more expressive and Of a wider range than
many Of the finest song birds. In all the COM
parsons however | except the parrot. which
regard as more Of human than a bird
The bird language has notes indicating all
the emotions-envy. love. jealousy. contentment,
alarm pain. pleasure II is sufficiently compre-
henSive for the needs Of the different families
and hat sc IL ndprc nod nv
the young birds at an early age IS demonstrated
to the satisfaction Of all who have given the
subject any serious and intelligent considera-
ton.
II assert that the language Of birds Is Of
higher order thar anything 1t is possible to
make out Of the chatter OF band OF monkeys.
And yet do not place the bird ahead Of the
monkey I'm the scale Of intelligence II is the
monkeys initiative faculty which impresses us.
His chatterng sounds are not susceptible OF in
telligent gradaton into more than the simpler
expressions.
TALKING TURKEY"
THE American wild turkey, one Of the finest
fowls Of the Western world or the Eastern for
that matter affords one Of the best illustrations
Of the versatility Of bird language II has
vOca bulary Of at least dozen words. well de-
fined For instance. its constant peril from half
a dozen sources overhead and underfOot. rem
ders necessary different notes to express the
kind of danger. whether immediate or pros
pactiVe. and the source. whether in the air or on
the ground. For danger overhead. as from
hawk or an eagle. where the peril is still re-
mote the turkey has a low note well drawn
out which cautions every member Of the flock.
For immediate danger it gives an entirely diff
ferent note. quick. sharp, prolonged, tremulous,
meaning, Hide! The enemy! The enemy!
when danger threatens from fox or a dog
a distinct signal must be used. From the hawk
or the eagle the turkey must hide on the ground
in the underbrusn. From the dog the fox he
must fly up into the trees. Thus, when the dog or