Semi-weekly herald., 1913-03-31
masters usually arrange wagnerian

masters usually arrange Wagnerian
potpourri for the act of what Tody
Hamilton was wont to term the "pha-
lanx of ponderous, playful pachy-
derms."
Circus bandmasters become well ac-
quainted with the musical idiosyncra-
sizes of inhabitants of the menagerieJ
te,. 1t is their experience that the,
most nasty. tempered brute, always
excepting the ghoulish hyena, can be
Gained by soothing music. Tigers
are not very susceptible; but they will
sit quietly when pleasing melody
is played softly. Leopards are the
only felines that display musical in
terest. They caper with delight to
lively tune and snarl to slow mu-
sic. Lions are great music lovers.
They will sit motionless for hours
and listen with every evidence of
pleasure to smooth-flowing melody.
But rapid or broken rhythms will
make them pace their cage impati-
emily, while discord will evoke
growls of angry protest.
So marked is the sensibility of rep
not invited scientific investigation.
| The rattler or the hooded cobra at
| the first notes of flute will partly
raise itself from the ground and sway
to and fro in rhythm with the music.
1t is claimed that all venomous rep
tiles are so affected by the notes Of
a reed or pipe instrument that they
can be handled with impunity while
in this charmed state. Lizards will
come from their hiding places by
hundreds at the sound of flute, and
savages who hunt them for food charm
they by visiting. While under the
spell of the music they make no at
tempt to escape.
Music will make the industrious spi-
der stop spinning to listen. The story
Of Gretry the composer and his pet
spider, which came out every day
and sat for hours on his harpsichord
wher he was composing, is musical
classic Mice are similarly affected,
and recent experiments have demon
strated that fish are strongly attract
ed by musical sounds.
! Naturally the bird world is full of
i.usic lovers. With most songbirds
the music of others, feathered or hu-
man, stimulates them to brave eff
| forts at rivalry. But the nightin-
gale, the sweetest of all singers, car
. be so ravished by the music of a
!, flute that it will fall to the ground
and lie painting in an ecstatic swoon
, Strangely enough, pigeons, which are
denied the gift of song, are keenly
a;;vc to musical impressions. There
is well authenticated story about
, the pet pigeon of one Bertoni, sing.
, ing master of Venice. The bird woult
sit for hours on its masters piano
preening itself and swelling out it.
bosom with delight, while the singing
was going on. Eventually it had tc
lie ssuished during lesson hours, a.
] lis ear was so true and its expression!
I of dispIeasure so pronounced wher
4 u pupil varied in the slightest from
v the key that Bertoni's patrons becam,
oversensitive in the presence of hi!
feathered critic.
a that domestic cattle will stop eat
a ing when their attention is diverted
by music, is sure sign of their low,
e for it. Even an angry bull can b'
n made placid, as many country fid
il ilsr, who has been marooned in tree
;. top, can attest. In rural communi
e ties where oxen are yoked to the plow
n it is customary to drone sort of pro
G longed chant to incite the animals t,
d work. The music seems to be NOR
: efficacious than the goad.
e 1t remains only to be said that Til
e cat, the donkey and the hyena are tn
;. only animals that show complete il,
4 senSibility to musical sounds