CHAP. v. Fish Talk. 79 



Do just please concede for peace sake that my fish is a reasoning 

 being, and I will go on to the next subject, his talkativeness. 



I have stated my belief that fish are able to communicate their ideas 

 to each other, and I hold this opinion on two grounds : the first, that it 

 would be contrary to the analogy of all nature if they could not do so ; 

 and the second, that I think I can recognise indications of their 

 exercising this power. 



My belief, then, is that all the higher animal life that we know any- 

 thing of has the power of communicating ideas. 



Has any one the hardihood to assert that monkeys cannot converse ? 

 Watch them moving quietly along in a large crowd. One of them gives 

 a little sound of satisfaction, and there are soon plenty with him to share 

 the fruit he has found. That mamma monkey calls to its young one 

 that it is time to be off sharp as there is a man coming, or that it should 

 not dawdle so as there is fruit in front, and it very evidently understands 

 and repairs to its mother hurriedly or leisurely according to the nature 

 of the maternal command. This is very marked. And then how 

 mamma croons over it ! Is it all meaningless ? I will be bound there 

 is not so much nonsense in it as in half the stuff talked to babies by 

 nurses and mothers, about blessing their little tootsi-wootsies and so 

 forth. Let one of the herd see a crocodile where they are about to 

 drink, or a panther, or anything that alarms them, and only listen to 

 the jabbering caught up and carried on by all. Do you say it is all 

 gibberish ? It is intelligible enough to them, and all with one consent 

 take precautions accordingly. They do not run wildly hither and 

 thither, as if overcome by an uncertain fear, but they have a clear idea 

 of what is the matter, and what they ought to do in the circumstances. 

 The state of affairs has been intelligently communicated. 



Try again. Strike gently, so as not to cow, or threaten to strike, 

 that captive monkey, and see if he does not face round, and give you a 

 bit of his mind at once. He commences talking with great volubility, 

 and though you cannot understand him he means a great deal. It is 

 very evident from his demeanour he does, his face and bearing being 

 full of rapid expression. 



I have often thought it a very good thing we do not know all that 

 quarrelsome dogs say to each other, for there must be some frightfully 

 bad language used sometimes. The very style of the growling of 

 some of them makes one shudder, it sounds so full of coarse oaths. 



