THE LAWS OF SPEECH. 197 



under such circumstances would be unhesitatingly and invariably 

 attacked. 



That ants undoubtedly possess a substitute for the language of 

 higher life, appears to be well-nigh certain. Possessing a power of 

 recognition, they exercise such a power in some fashion unknown to 

 us ; and they are able to communicate important and necessary 

 intelligence, say of the proximity of food, to their neighbours. Such 

 intelligence may be merely the result of the exercise of scent or 

 smell, as in some cases Sir John Lubbock's experiments seem 

 clearly to prove. But, in other instances, it is as clearly proved 

 that these insects transmit ideas. This latter fact was shown by an 

 experiment in which ants having access to many larvae brought 257 

 friends to assist in conveying their infants home ; whilst those which 

 were placed to few larvae only brought eighty-two coadjutors. The 

 inarticulate language of the ant is, however, paralleled by the audible 

 language of many of its insect brethren, in a form of communication 

 which may to all intents and purposes be named " the language of 

 love/' since most of the distinctive sounds emitted by insects are 

 intended as "calls" from the male to the female, and as a means of 

 determining the locality of the callers. That the language of insects, 

 then, is an inarticulate form of speech no one may deny. Its 

 purport, however, is not only clearly understood, but the develop- 

 ment of specialised powers of hearing has occurred part passu with 

 that of the plainest form of this insect-voice. 



Passing now to higher animals, we find that the beginnings of a 

 system of communication with their fellows, more nearly approaching 

 that exercised by man, occurs in those animals which most nearly 

 approach the human type of structure. The forms of vocalisation 

 which are to be noted amongst our familiar animals are many and 

 varied, and are plainly recognisable as indicating different phases of 

 feeling. The angry neigh or scream of a horse in pain, or under the 

 influence of terror, is very different from the ordinary cry of the 

 animal ; and the howl of a suffering dog is as eloquent in its demon- 

 stration of pain as are the interjections of his master. But the range 

 of voice and expression in certain animals a subject to which our 

 attention has not been sufficiently drawn is not by any means of 

 limited nature. One monkey, the Cebus azarce^ is known to utter at 

 least six different sounds, expressive of as many distinct states of 

 feeling and of as many varied emotions ; and this animal is by no 

 means singular in his modulation of voice to express the moods and 

 tenses of his life. The dog, according to Darwin, has learned to bark 

 in four or five different tones, and has thus unquestionably evinced 

 a decided advance upon his wild progenitors. There can be no 

 doubt that in early human existence a striking likeness to the habitual 

 modes of expression of lower animals exists. The infantile " crow " 



