THE VOICES OF ANIMALS. 401 



ravens can talk is a well-known fact, but instances are known where 

 other kinds of birds have learned to speak. Russ, for instance, in his 

 book on ornithology, tells about a canary, owned by an actress, which 

 was capable of speaking some words distinctly. 



Other birds have a special liking for certain sounds — owls, for in- 

 stance, like the tolling of bells. Nicolardot says that a special variety 

 of owl, the "tower -owl," which preferably nests in bell-towers of 

 churches, closely imitates in its cry the sound given out by bells. 

 He also states that it is a comparatively easy matter, calling only for 

 a little trouble and patience, to teach the greenfinch and the yellow 

 thrush to talk. Song-birds especially are said to be capable of a 

 musical education much more extensive than they commonly receive 

 nowadays. They are said not only to be able to repeat short melo- 

 dies whistled to them, but also to sing to the accompaniment of instru- 

 ments. Maximus, of Tyre, relates, in his " Philosophical Conversations '' 

 (translated by Torme), that a certain man, who devoted much of his 

 time and attention to animals, had kept a number of birds of different 

 kinds in his room. Every morning during the beginning of their cap- 

 tivity they sang and chirped — each in its own way — giving rise to 

 much noise and great confusion. In a comparatively short time, how- 

 ever, this man had succeeded in training his birds so that they joined 

 him in making music. He played the flute, and the birds accompanied 

 his playing with their voices, at certain passages all singing correctly 

 in chorus. The responsibility for the truth of this story we must 

 leave to the narrator ; however, it is a fact that, in the musical train- 

 ing of birds, wonderful things may be done. 



During the time of Napoleon III, there was at Paris a so-called 

 charmeur who came every noon into the garden of the Tuileries and 

 fed the birds of all kinds. The animals knew him by sight, and came 

 to him at once. He could call them individually, and they would 

 perch on his fingers, and, if he whistled certain signal-notes for them, 

 they would repeat these clearly and distinctly. 



In these days we are ever seeking and searching ; we penetrate 

 deeply into all domains of Nature, and believe ourselves to be ap- 

 proaching to a more true conception of the world about us. But 

 rarely has it been seriously attempted to study the voices of Nature, 

 which form so important a chord in the great concert of creation. 

 Undoubtedly there is here yet much that lies unrevealed, and that is 

 well worth attentive study and investigation. Perchance this might 

 lead to important conclusions concerning the great secret of life in 

 its organic function, which nowhere draws a sharp line between the 

 animal and the vegetable kingdom, and which joins the latter by in- 

 sensible gradations to the mineral world. The first attempt in this 

 direction has been made by Nicolardot with his work, and this well 

 merits our interest and appreciation. — Translated for the Popular Sci- 

 ence Monthly from Ueber Zand und Mcer. 

 vol. xxx. — 26 



