The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-22
MESMERISM FOR BIRDS.
Curious Experiments Tried by Cura-
tor of a $780,


New York Mail and Express.
Remarkable experiments In the mesmeriz-
ing of birds outlined by C. William Beebe.
curator of birds of the New York Zoolog
ical Society, in an address before the organ
ization at the waldorf-Astoria this week,
were more fully explained by him in a talk
with a Mail and Express reporter yester-
day.
The theory. Mr.. Beebe explained was en-
tirely tentative, but the results were very
interesting. In explanation ne cited first
the so-called hypnotism of chicken. which
consisted of placing the bird upon it's back
on table. its head and neck stretched out
fat in line with the body, and drawing a
chalk line from the tip of its bill to a point
some distance beyond. II has been gener-
ally thought the bird imagines itself tied
with white string and so remains quies-
cent
1.-THE explanation is ingenious" says Mr..
Beebe, "bpt becomes valueless as soon as
we try the experiment without drawing the
line and find that it succeeds as well. This
is explainable by the stimulus to the nerves
caused by handling the bird, the result
| being the same when a bright light is flash
| ed upon the eye, producing a crude hyp-'
motto state.
81 have had no results from such a meth
| cd except the production of sound sleep,
| and when the bird awakens it Is generally
with start, and a terrified dash for liberty
abruptly ends the Investigations.
II have tried mesmerism with much
| greater success, appealing to the birds
| mind directly and disregarding the hypnotic
methods. To become as perfectly as pos
| sible en- rapport with bird it is better
| to partly mesmerize oneself. Then when
| the mind Is more on a level with that of
| the subject, 1 have attempted to force an
| idea on its consciousness, and several times
| have succeeded to my perfect satisfaction.
| A catbird resisted a half-hour's effort to
| bring it under control, while after simply
| concentrating my mind for five minutes on
a tiny sawwhet owl. perched in a cage
across the room, heard sound and. look
| ing up. saw that the little fellow was on
| his back, having fallen backward off his
perch. male English sparrow was
very difficult subject, while white
There Is also noticeable variation In
| the temperament of the same individuals
| on different days or even at different hours
| or the same day..
| Here Curator Beebe cited instances of
| hypnotism by ray of light thrown into
| the cage or the placing of bright bead
| or coin in such a manner that the bird
would see it constantly. The oft cited
/ charming of birds by snakes was accounted
| for by the beady. fascinating CLEAN Of its
Continuing, Mr. Beebe said: when this
| mesmeric process has been carried so far
| that the bird is thrown into drowsy sleep
or trance If left unnoticed for a while it
| will awaken slowly. The after effects are
| very interesting, for the bird, although ap-
| parently as active and wide awake as ever,
| has become wonderfully tame, refusing to
/ fly away and pecking curiouSly at ones APP
| preaching fingers. When taken in the hand
/ these pecks are changed to half spiteful
ones until the bird is replaced or allowed to
perch upon the finger, when ii uncon-
/ cernedly proceeds to arrange its plumage
and allows familiarity which would ordi-
| narily throw IL into spasm of fright.
Even when replaced In its cage with its
| companions 1t refuses to notice them at
| first and will follow one about, or If one
goes outside it will approach as closely as
| the wires allow"
meric control Mr.. Beebe cited the instance
| of large parrot that he persistently willed
| should raise its foot and hold 1t in that
| position. After few minutes the bird
obeyed and continued to hold I'D the foot
until brought out Of the trance.
Mr.. Beebe when student in college was
| an adept in mesmerizing his Fellowship
| dents, and 1t was the experience thus gained
that caused him to experiment with birds
/ He declares that his researches are only
| just begun, and that he expects a substan-
1 theory. Among the things he hopes may
/ be solved by mesmerism is the learning
more about the homing instinct of pigeons
| and the instant spread of a movement or
| desire through a flock. An example of the
| latter Is seen when a flock OF birds, rising
| as one. wheels and circles with great speed
| back and forth, each one maintaining its
relative distance and position in the ami
| mated cloud.
The theory held by Mr.. Beebe regarding
| these experiments Is rather technical Here
/ Ii Is In hts own language:
| MY theory of bird mesmerism land this
/ differs from hypnotism I'm that hypnotism
| Is accomplished by physical means, passes
| with the hands and the like, and in this
| way reaches the mentality. whereas mes
1 merism Is purely a mental process of Sc
| curing control of the subjective mind) I
say this theory is as yet too young and too
| lacking in continued demonstration to be
regarded as other than tentative The nor
/ NAL method of communicating ideas and re-
| ceiving knowledge in the realm of the sub
| jective is by telepathy and intuition. A
4 very predominant mental phase in birds is
analogous to our subconscious or subjective
mind. The conclusion is then that telepathy
| and intuition are 10 be frequently observed
/ in the psychological study of birds
| 1--WE know that the less the purely in
| tellectual or analytical mind OF human is
| developed the more powerful are the work
ings OF his subjective attributes, or, in
language more popular, what may be
| termed intuition.
I'm birds the subjective faculty is nearer
| the surface than in human beings and the
| poise is more easily disturbed by immedi-
| ate environmental changes. The easiest
| and quickest way 10 demonstrate the sub
jective condition In man Is by the power OF
hypnotism or mesmerism, and the same
should apply with equal force to BIRDS"