Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-10

The idea of opening communication
with the lower animals by teaching
them to talk is a very fascinating one,
a-d though monkeys are not favorable
subjects something might. perhaps, be
done in this direction with some of the
talking birds. which can, at any rate
intelligibly reproduce our speech.
But to get very far in this direction
IL would be necessary for some society
to settle down to breeding parrots, for
instance, selectively, to develop their
memory and intelligence. q has been
done i'm the case Of homings pigeons
This would, of course, be a matter Of
years-probably Of very many years
but the hobby would be full of interest
and the shows of this suggested Par
rot Improvement society would un-
doubtedly attract public attention.
There is no lack of material for ex-
pertinent. but until we can develop a
parrot which will talk our language
with some fairly wide understanding
of II we must fall back on the conver-
satlon of birds among themselves for
the study of this subject and find out
We shall soon discover that birds
have expressions at command for all
their ideas. and it must be borne In
mind that il would not be of much use
to enlarge their vocabulary without
correspondingly widening their mental
horizon as the proverbially unlntelli-
gent conversation of the average par
rot shows. But the language of some
birds is easily learned by us. and there
Is none better to begin upon than the
common fowl.
In the Poultry Yard
Study poultry yard attentively and
you will find Chanticleer and Partlet
have all the language necessary for
their simple lives. You will soon learn
that cluclxing means Come here; I've
got something for you; that Growing
conveys a. challenge not to be ex-
pressed by one who is not willing to
make his words good with bill and
spurs; and that the weird, inevitable
yell given when large bird flies over
means hawk or look out aloft."
The cackle Of the hen which haJ just
laid appears at first mere idiotic vain
gloriousness; but 1t will be noticed that
1t is also an alarm call, and Mr.. w. H.
Hudson has very ceverly explained its
preparation by the triumphant layer.
In studying the half wild fowls of the
Argentine farms he has found that the
hen flies a little way from her nest and
then cackles; the cock answers her and
so she finds her way back to her lord
and protector.
The really wild jungle fowl would no
doubt fly farther--the object of the
flight being to break off scent-and
cackle less; for the domestic fowl, like
the dog, has degenerated into very un-
necessary loquacity. Wild animals
have to be more sparing of their con-
versation.
A Rational Fowl
That fowls can apply their simple
language in what looks like rational
way has been observed in more than
one instance. A fancier once had a.
black Spanish cock which he used to
tie down on to a kind of saddle In or
der to attend to it's toilet, for the pc
cular milky-white face of this now
rare old breed used to undergo as much
manipula ton in the way of washing,
powderlng and eyebrow-plucking as
would occupy a beauty doctor for a
whole morning.
Birds like having their faces tickled
and this old rooster got to enjoy his
toilet so much that he not only needed
no restraint. but if his master delayed
to perform it he got OH the saddle him
self and pecked at it. giving the cluck-
ing call of invitation in order to be
attended to.
In another case wicked fowl was
seen to attempt to beguile an innocent
hen from a stronger rivals harem by
calling her to food which was not
there-an artifice which was speedily
seen through by the disgusted natron
This, by the way, seems to indicate
that if the lower animals minds were
enlarged their morals might deterio-
rate.
Ducks also have a language, but it is
less easy to interpret than that Of
fowls, and it is a curious fact that the
drake cannot quack loud, for what rea-
son I do not know, unless it is pro-
vision of nature for giving his mate
the last word.
But their gesture language is easily
understood. Watch the park ducks in
pairing time and you will easily note
the staccato quacks and sideway nod