MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 335 



No. II.— MUSCULAR ACTION AFTER DEATH. 



With reference to the curious instance described by Mr. E. J. Ebden,in No. 4, 

 "Vol. VIII of this Journal, I should like to mention a somewhat similar 

 experience of my own. 



In 1887, when on the march to Peshawur,'l came across a large water snake 

 about 40 yards, if I remember right, from a pool. I fired at it and cut it into 

 two about the middle of the body. To my astonishment the halves of the snake, 

 which were completely separated, made for the water, and, reaching it about 

 the same time, disappeared. Finding that my veracity was liable to be called 

 in question whenever I mentioned this incident, I have of late kept it 

 to myself. 



L. H. PARRY, Capt., R.A. 

 Hingoli, Deccan, July, 1894. 



No. III.— THE EFFECT OF MUSIC ON ANIMALS. 



Mr. C. K. Cornish has recently published the results of his experiments as to 

 the effect produced by music on various animals at the Zoological Gardens in 

 London, and it would be interesting if investigations of a similar character 

 could be made in this country by those in a position to carry them out. Mr. 

 Cornish says : — 



" At tie first sounds of the flute most of the monkeys ran away ; and the piccolo excited 

 loud and angry screams from all sides. Nearly in this case the violin was the favourite. We 

 then decided to take the opinion of some oi the largest and least vivacious animals, and 

 selected the young African elephant for our next auditor. As this animal had shown the 

 utmost dislike to the vio.in on a previous occasion, the flute was employed to open the concert, 

 and with complete success. The elephant stood listening with deep attention, one foot raised 

 from the ground, and its whole body still— a rare concession to the influence of music from one 

 of the most restless of all animals. So long as the flute continued, it remained motionless 

 and listening. But the change to the piccolo was resented. After the first bar, the elephant 

 twisted round, and stood with its back to the performer, whistling and snorting and stamping 

 its feet. The violin was less disliked, but the signs of disapproval were unmistakable. The 

 deer, as before, were strangely attracted by the violin, and showed equal pleasure in the tones 

 of the flute ; the gemul deer, for instance, ran up at once to listen to the latter, their ears and 

 tails being in constant movement at every change of tone or tune. Even the ostrich seemed 

 to enjoy the violin and flute, though it showed mnrked signs of dislike at the piccolo, writhing 

 its neck and walking uneasily up and down its enclosure. The ibexes were startled at the 

 piccol", first rushing forward to listen, and then taking refuge on a pile of rocks, from which 

 however, the softer music of the flute brought them down to listen at the railing. The wild 

 asses and zebras left the hay with which their racks had just been filled ; and even the tapir, 

 which lives next door, got up to listen to the violin ; while the flute set the Indian wild asses 

 kicking with excitement. But the piccolo had no charms for any of them, and they all re- 

 turned to their interrupted breakfasts." 



