The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-10
HOW BIRDS TALK.
A Government Expert Says That
They Are Superior to Monkeys.

Much interest has been taken in the sci-
entinc world of late about the languages
of various animals. and. as our readers
know, a museum for this study has been
established Mt the University of Pennsyl-
vania. The popular notion has been that
the monkeys would be found to possess
the most highly developed language. as
they are high in the scale Of evolution.
But now comes some testimony In favor
of bird language. Prof. Nelson r. Wood,
the taxidermist of the National museum
here at Washington, has been studying
bird sounds for years. Last week he
talked with Washington correspondent,
giving the gist Of his conclusions most
entertainingly and instructively, as fol-
lows:
81 don't want to be understood as say
ing that 1t is Of high order of develop
ment," said Prof. Wood, because long
study of the subject has developed the
fact that the language of birds, while suf-
ficient for their somewhat limited needs,
is necessarily crude. And yet I 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 said recently before the American
Ornithologists' Union, the language OF
birds is now well enough defined by care
full study to classify 1t as such. 1t is Inn
possible to demonstrate in print practi-
cally how far progress has been made
in the development of bird language, be-
cause it 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 language Is the discovery that Il
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 a vocabulary
more expressive and of a wider range
than many of the finest song birds. In
all the comparisons. however, 1 except
the parrot, which I regard as more Of
a human than bird.
1.-THE bird language has notes indicating
all the emotions-envy, love, jealousy
contentment, alarm, pain, pleasure. 1t
Is sufficiently comprehensive for the needs
of the different families. and that 1t lie
thoroughly understood, even by the young
birds at an early age. is demonstrated
to the satisfaction of all who have given
the subject any serious and Intelligent
consideration.
ct assert that the language of birds is
of higher order than anything 1t is pos
sible to make out of the chatter of a
band of monkeys. And yet do not
place the bird ahead of the monkey in
the scale of intelligence. 1t is the mon
keys initiative faculty which impresses
us. His chattering sounds are not sus-
ceptible of intelligent graduation into more
than the simpler expressions.
1.-THE American Wild turkey, one of the
finest fowls of the Western world, or of
the Eastern for that matter. affords one
of the best illustrations of the versatility
of bird language. 1t has a vocabulary OF
at least dozen words, well defined. For
instance, its constant peril from half A
dozen sources, overhead and underfoot,
render necessary different notes no ex-
press the kind of danger, whether imme-
date or prospective, and the source,
whether in the air or on the ground For
danger overhead. as from a hawk or an
eagle, where the peril is still remote, the
turkey has low note, well drawn ont.
which cautions every member of the flock.
For immediate danger 1t gives an entirely
different note, quick, sharp, prolonged,
tremulous, meaning, Hide! The enemy!
The enemy!
when danger threatens from a fox or
n dog distinct signal must be used.
From the hawk or the eagle the turkey
must hide on the ground in the under
brush. From the dog or the fox he must
fly up into the trees. Thus. when the dog
or the fox appears. the signal to fly is
given. The same note as the flying sig
nal is used when there Is suspicion Of
danger on the ground, except that the
note Is prolonged instead Of being Quick-