Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-02-13
MESMERISM OF BIRDS.
New York Experts Expert
ments at the Bronx Zoo.
A NEW FIELD FOB RESEARCH
Feathered Inhabitants Obedient TO
the VIII of c. william Beebe, Gu
rator Of OrnithOlogy - His Proof
That Birds Have Defined Inteilf-
sepce and Strong Person alities.

rator Of Ornithology - His Proof
That Birds Have Defined Inteili-
Eence and Strong Personalities.
Interesting possibilities are suggest
ed by the experiments in bird mesmer-
izing of c. William Beebe, curator Of
ORTHODOXY at the Bronx ZOO, In New
York
II think | have not only hypnotized
BIRDS" he said recently to a reporter OF
the New York Herald, but have In
duced true mesmeric condition, dur
ing which they have done certain
things | willed them to do. Some may
explain my experiments as series OF
remarkable condolences between the
actions Of the birds and my wishes.
Whether this is so or not can only be
proved by many hundreds Of expert
ments."
Birds have never been credited with
enough intelligence to reach a mesmer-
lied state, hence Mr.. Beebe's paper,
read at the meeting of the New York
Geological society, has caused much
discussion among naturalists. Birds
are his life study. and his closeness Of
observation during his three years
service at the Bronx zoo has resulted
in bringing to light several new and in
teresting facts about the feathered
race.
1.-THE more studied birds the more
became convinced that their intelli-
gence had been greatly underesttma-
ted" said Mr.. Beebe. 81 had been rath-
er successful in hypnotizing my fellow
students at Columbia, and the idea oc-
CURED to me to see what could be done
with birds. Commencing with the ia,
millar experiment of laying bird OH
its back and drawing chalk line from
its bill, soon found that 1t was not re.
quired to draw any line at all. Then
I reached the point where by merely
stroking the bird l could throw it into
the same sleepy state. A little later
could get the same result without lay
ing the bird down at all by merely
stroking its feathers. These expert
ments may be repeated by any one, as
1t only requires patience. Care must be
taken to make no sudden movement of
the hands. or the bird will take fright,
and further efforts will be useless.
my next step was long way ahead,
and l cannot promise the same success
to others. l brought bird into my
Office and tried to put 1t to sleep by
simply looking at it. found that diff
ferent birds Of the same species re-
sponded very differently to this treat
ment which Is another proof of my
claim that birds possess strong per.
sonal individuality. With some birds
was quite successful, and after
time by simply concentrating my will
upon the subject l could induce a mes
meric state without looking at the bird
ut all.
zone day l was very anxious to OBJ
tain a photograph of parrot in the
act of eating and the idea occurred to
try mesmerism. Taking the parrot to
a quiet part Of the park where the
light was good, l got him under my
control and then willed him to 20
through the motions of eating after
had focused my camera. You can i'm.
agine my delight when the parrot slow.
ly lifted its claw to it's beak and com.
menced to nibble. This was repeated
three times, and do not think it was
coincidence. The photograph is one of
my proudest possessions.
II took barn OWL one Of the wild.
est birds we have, and after mesmer.
izing him found he would move along
the perch to the right or left Just as
willed. l have noticed one striking diff
ference between a bird that Is hypno
tiled in the ordinary way and one that
has been mesmerized by sheer force Of
will power. In the first case the birt
when aroused will dart away in fright
but In the latter, no matter how wild
1t may have been, 1t will be perfectly
tame for some time afterward and
even when put back In the cage will
the other birds will attempt to follow
me when start to leave the room
The reasons for this, if ever discovered
may lead to better understanding Of
mesmerism in general.
Il do not know of any practical an
phcatlon for my discoveries as yet, al