Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-11-16
ARE BULLS COLOR BLIND?
BY Frederic j. Haskin

DG ISNASCo " lGa0g OOh wave 0hS
thing before a bull"
Science, in its efforts to clear up
the worlds mysteries, has got around
to investigating the alleged dislike OF
red by bulls. Results obtained IN
dicate that his aversion to red has
been greatly exaggerated. Judging
by the conduct OF Mr.. Cow under
experimental conditions, it seems
doubtful whether he can tell red
from green. 1t is even possible that
he has no realization of color at all,
and that he see the world as a
completely color-blind person does
That is, each object may appear to
him white. gray, or black, accord
ing to it's degree of brightness.
If this Is SO, then the Spanish
matador who fiaunts his red cloak
in the arena might as well wear sky
blue/or white, so far as the bull is
concerned. 1t would appear further
that red is nc more nor less danger
III than green to wear on a country
walk. and, consequently, nervous
persons who consider themselves in
visible to bulls sc long as they are
not attired in red may as well re-
wise their ideas on the eyesight and
emotions of the animal.
Before we scrap our ancient ira
ditions of natural history, however,
1t may be the part of wisdom to sur
vey the evidence. An experiment
with cattle, made at the University
of California, is the latest news. A
number of dairy cows, calves. and
bulls, were let loose in a field where
a row of large, colored banners
ioated down from a high string.
There was a white banner and one
each of red, green, and black. The
strips of cloth were vivid in the sun
light, and rippleo Enthusiastically in the
breeze. The cattle surveyed them a
bit wonderingly. They shifted at
one color or another, and started
back when the wind playfully flung
u banner toward them. But they
paid no particular attention to the
red. In fact, the white strip attract
ed more interest than any Of the
rest. The same procedure was tried
with STEERS and wild COW on a range
with similar results. The strip of
flaming red. cloth failed completely
to arouse any of the cattle TO anger.
.
The scientists report, summed up,
vas THE reaction of wilder cattle
to our colors was essentially like
that of the tanner; they showed in
terest, curiosity. mildest fear, but
no anger; and gave more response
to brightness and motion than to
hue"
To find out whether practical
stock raisers hold to the belief that
the color red arouse anger in cat
tie, the scientists then sent out ques-
tons to California cattlemen and
farmers. OF Sc replies, 38 offered
the opinion that red never excites
cattle to anger. Fifteen answers
were to the effect that red may ex-
cite them in exceptional cases, but
that usually 1t does not. Eight be-
lieved that usually red does excite
cattle. And three believed that red
always excites them.
In this set of is repre-
sentative of cattlemen, then why is
the fear of wearing red in a bulls
presence so firmly established In the
minds of so many persons?
In the first place, it is an old, es-
tablished beli5f that colors in them.
selves have the power to excite on
depress. 1t Is even said a certain
color can arouse a definite emotion
The difficulty with the theory Is thai
each color may be interpreted differ
emily by different persons. To look
steadily at a splash of pure red color
may irritate one individual, and may
arouse another to a state of energy
and excitement.
.
One reason for such differences is
that an individuals attitude toward
a color is usually somewhat depen-
dent upon his associations with the
color. If he finds hal red alarms
or depresses him, it may be because
of its associations with blood, or be-
cause of an unpleasant experience III
which red played a part. Generally
speaking, however. red Is found tC
be a color which stimulates, as con
trasted with purple which is to mos
people depressing. Red has always
been known as the color of blood
and consequently 1t is associated with
fighting, excitement, and courage.
The bulls associations with color.
are obviously much more limited
than a human beings. If cattle dis
like red, it would apparently be due
mainly to the fact that red is g
particularly bright and striking color
which does not occur in large guam
titles in anture. Cattle have 6
natural distrust of anything that l!
strange and conspicuous. This be-
Ing so, a large and vivid yellow OF
blue object might be more alarming
than a red one.
The tradition that bulls are en-
ragged by red car probably be traced
to the bullfght. What would thu
toreador be in the popular magma
ton without the red cape which HI
waves i~nsolently before the infuria'
ted bull.
As 4 matter of fact, waving a rec
cloak or flag in the arena is only
detail in the technique of bullfight
Ing. The first round of the fight l
between the bull and the picadori
on horseback. The picadors arouse
the bull to fury by striking at hi
shoulders with their lances, Will
the bewildered bull cores the horses
In the belief that he is thus Kidding
himself of enemies. He is alread,
sullen and wear when the bandit
leros, wearing the famous red cloaks
appear for the second round. The.
goad the angry bull by Haunting tn
cloaks before him. and plant barb
in his shoulders to weaken tn
powerful neck muscles, already tiret
from goring the horses and from
the thrusts Of the picadors.
The matador, who appears for tn
climax of the fight, carries a re-
silken flag. Like the red cloaks. tn
crimson flag may remind the bull o
the bloody battles fought with tn
horses. AT. any rate, it is the bright
i est nhiant in the aroma And IL |