236 SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATIONS [Mut 



Influence of Modulated Sound upon the Muscular 



System. 



Travellers inform us that the Arabs are in the habit of teach- 

 ing goats to stand with their feet close together on the top 

 of several little blocks of wood. The manner in which they 

 accomplish this feat beautifully illustrates the influence of 

 modulated sound on the muscular system, as it appears that, 

 however long the goats may have been used to this exhibition, 

 they succeed only during the playing of a tune. If there be 

 any alteration in the movement or time the goat begins in- 

 stantly to totter, and the moment the music closes the goat 

 falls. A similar effect is felt by dancers on the tight-rope. 

 This resembles what is felt by vain statesmen when the music 

 of flattery ceases. U. 



Caprices of Musical Taste. 



Mouffet relates that in certain regions of Africa the crickets 

 (gryUw) are objects of commerce. They are brought up in 

 little cages, as we do canary birds, and sold to the inhabitants, 

 who like to hear their amorous chant. This song lulls them "to 

 sleep. It would be quite irritating to the ears of persons 

 trained to more melodious sounds. But there is no absolute 

 standard of music in the world. That which some persons 

 consider melody others would deem discord. There are 

 caprices of musical taste which enable people to enjoy the 

 chirping of crickets and the piano and song of the conven- 

 tional boarding-school young lady. I. 



Mutual Co-operation. 



The animal inhabitant of the Pinna marina is a blind slug 

 surrounded with numerous enemies, and particularly obnoxious 

 to the Sepia, or cuttle-fish, who watches the motion of the 

 Pinna, and no sooner does the latter open his bivalve shell, 

 which occasionally exceeds two feet in length, than he rushes 

 upon him like a lion. It will naturally be asked how such a 

 blind, defenceless creature can either procure food or protect 

 himself from the attack of his implacable enemies? A kind 



