Chap. XIX.] MUSICAL POWERS. . 317 



of the gibbon's composition, excepting as regards its 

 loudness." Mr. Waterhouse then gives the notes. Prof. 

 Owen, who is likewise a musician, confirms the foregoing 

 statement, and remarks that this gibbon " alone of brute 

 mammals may be said to sing." It appears to be much 

 excited after its performance. Unfortunately, its habits 

 have never been closely observed in a state of nature ; but 

 from the analogy of almost all other animals, it is highly 

 probable that it utters its musical notes especially during 

 the season of courtship. 



The perception, if not the enjoyment, of musical ca- 

 dences and of rhythm is probably common to all animals, 

 and no doubt depends on the common physiological nature 

 of their nervous systems. Even Crustaceans, which are 

 not capable of producing any voluntary sound, possess 

 certain auditory hairs, which have been seen to vibrate 

 when the proper musical notes are struck.^' It is well 

 known that some dogs howl when hearing particular tones. 

 Seals apparently appreciate music, and their fondness for 

 it "was well known to the ancients, and is often taken 

 advantage of by the hunters at the present day." '" With 

 all those animals, namely insects, amphibians, and birds, 

 the males of which during the season of courtship inces- 

 santly produce musical notes or mere rhythmical sounds, 

 we must believe that the females are able to appreciate 

 them, and are thus excited or charmed ; otherwise the 

 incessant efforts of the males and the complex structures 

 often possessed exclusively by them would be useless. 



With man song is generally admitted to be the basis 

 or origin of instrumental music. As neither the enjoy- 

 ment nor the capacity of producing musical notes are 

 faculties of the least direct use to man in reference to his 

 ordinary habits of life, they must be ranked among the 



^^ Helmholtz, ' Theorie Phys. de la Musique,' 1868, p. 187. 

 »" Mr. R. Brown, in ' Proc. Zool. Soc' 1868, p. 410, 



