Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-11
SIXTH SENSE IN LOWER ANIMALS.
Indications That They Sometimes
Have Knowledge of Coming Danger

nave knowledge of Coming Danger.
From the I,oncoI Spectator.
A correspondent of the Daily News states
that lady residing in the hotel at Amald.
the Gay before the landslip. refused to stay
there for another night because she was
certain that the earth was moving. and
compares this sensitiveness with the OBJ
servations of the symptoms of unrest and
apprehension shown by domestic animals
before the serious earthquake of 1897 in the
Riviera. The facts then observed cor
respond generally with those remembered
IN the case of other great disturbances OF
earth and air. A number of cases are given
In which horses. dogs. a monkey and even
ducks showed signs of panic for a day. two
days or even longer before the last great
earthquake. A lady at Nice remarked the
bad condition of the horse she usually drove
ana to!d her coachman to take it home and
10 bring another in a brougham from the
livery stables for her. The hired horse
seemed as timid and weak as her own. The
driver then said that all the animals were
of their feed" A monkey and other NETS
at villa near Villefranche on the day be
fore the shock which destroyed much life
ana property, refused to enter the house
where they were generally anxious to come
They were all spiritless. dull and scared
A small lapdog which usually sat on the
arm az a Q. me masters chair at meals refused
TO occupy Its usual seat. But perhaps the
most striking evidence that the anima:s
were in a state of fear was thar the r,u-S
IN the diaries supplying the coast resorts
seemed terrified and the quantity and aual-
ity of milk suffered.
On the chalk range which overhangs Shir-
nurn and extends along the Thames one OF
the most extraordinary and universal nani.s
ever known among domestic animals IN tbIa
country occurred quite recently "A manic
which can only be explained on the slInnosi
ton that they felt the premonition OF an
earthquake one of those sub;erranaon
sc lldS which limos
quakes. These hills are series of sheen
farms. the fiocks being part of the regular
local system of agriculture. That no earth
quake shock was felt docs not make il i'm
possible that the sheep felt or heard some
OF the common prcmonitions OF earthauake
Nothing is more probable than that the wins
perings of earth and air. to which we are
deaf, are heard by the keener animal ears
The supposition that they have sixth
sense, hypothesis which srouses a degree
of irritation difficult to account for in soma
minds. need not be raised in this case any
more than in the instances in which animals
are obviously conscious of coming storms
IL many human beings are uneasy at such
times and declare that they feel a thun-
der storm coming. there NJ ed be no doubt
Whatever that many animal Is are far longer
earlier and more acutely alive TO the heat
and electric tension before a coming cy-
clone.
The almost simultaneous appearance of
BIRDS migrating to northern regions from
distant ATTITUDES when the frost has given
in the far north is now known to be due TO
their sensitiveness to the rise of tempera-
ture which occurs over great areas and :
which they instantly read as a summons
Meantime. We have as yet nothing more
than conjecture to account for the power
OF direction when birds are migrating If
they made their Journeys by daylight the
great height at which they are able to Nv
might account for their performances They
could possibly see far enough to guide them
from point to point watch others fyIng
as the vultures watch other vultu.es moy-
ing to their prey from high planes Of air
But while they fly by night and often only
at little height above the surface of the
water. we can hardly believe that sight is
used Moreover. pigeons. even when trained
over certain spaces of land and sea, can
only fly and use this acquired knowlede.
as long as daylight lasts.
III We are to fall back on the hyDothesIs
OF the sixth sense We must employ II MOI 4,
account for animal prescIence of disturb
arces OF earth and air. but to explain m.
means by which a tiny. golden-cresteS wren
Will fly across the North sea on a winter
night, and come Pickering in at daybreaE
over the pillows at that particular point OF
sandhil!s or shingle which the other ana
swtft-hying birds have always selected a,
their most suitable alighting place.