MALLERY. } ORIGIN OF SIGNS—THOSE OF ANIMALS, 275 
GESTURES OF THE LOWER ANIMALS. 
Emotional expression in the features of man is to be considered in 
reference to the fact that the special senses either have their seat in, or 
are in close relation to the face, and that so large a number of nerves 
pass to it fromthe brain. The same is true of the lower animals, so that 
it would be inferred, as is the case, that the faces of those animals are 
also expressive of emotion. There is also noticed among them an exhi- 
bition of emotion by corporeal action. Thisis the class of gestures com- 
mon to them with the earliest made by man, as above mentioned, and it 
is reasonable to suppose that those were made by man at the time when, 
if ever, he was, like the animals, destitute of articulate speech. The 
articulate cries uttered by some animals, especially some birds, are inter- 
esting as connected with the principle of imitation to which languages in 
part owe their origin, but in the cases of forced imitation, the mere acqui- 
sition of a vocal trick, they only serve to illustrate that power of imita- 
tion, and are without significance. Sterne’s starling, after his cage had 
been opened, would have continued to complain that he could not get out. 
If the bird had uttered an instinctive cry of distress when in confinement 
and a note of joy on release, there would have been a nearer approach 
to language than if it had clearly pronounced many sentences. Such 
notes and cries of animals, many of which are connected with reprodue- 
tion and nutrition, are well worth more consideration than can now be 
given, but regarding them generally it is to be questioned if they are so 
expressive as the gestures of the same animals. It is contended that 
the bark of a dog is distinguishable into fear, defiance, invitation, and 
a note of warning, but it also appears that those notes have been known 
only since the animal has been domesticated. The gestures of the dog 
are far more readily distinguished than his bark, as in his preparing 
for attack, or caressing his master, resenting an injury, begging for food, 
or simply soliciting attention. The chief modern use of his tail appears 
to be to express his ideas and sensations. But some recent experiments 
of Prof. A. GRAHAM BELL, no less eminent from his work in artificial 
speech than in telephones, shows that animals are more physically capa- 
ble of pronouncing articulate sounds than has been supposed. He in- 
formed the writer that he recently succeeded by manipulation in caus- 
ing an English terrier to form a number of the sounds of our letters, and 
particularly brought out from it the words ‘‘How are you, Grand- 
mamma?” with distinctness. This tends to prove that only absence of 
brain power has kept animals from acquiring true speech. The remark- 
able vocal instrument of the parrot could be used in significance as well 
as in imitation, if its brain had been developed beyond the point of 
expression by gesture, in which latter the bird is expert. 
The gestures of monkeys, whose hands and arms can be used, are nearly 
akin to ours. Insects communicate with each other almost entirely by 
means of the antenng. Animals in general which, though not deaf, can 
