92 



FIRST CLASS OF THE VERTEBRATED ANIMALS. 



the lower animals are agitated. Thus, we can readily distinguish the cry of rage, 

 when an animal threatens his prey ; that of distress in the unfortunate victim ; the 

 amorous cry of one sex for the other; the rallying cry of the female, when she 

 wishes to assemble her young ones around her ; the bursts of resentment ; and in 

 some species, even a cry of gratitude towards IMan. 



The larynx of the Apes greatly resembles that of Man in many respects ; yet in 

 those species which approach most nearly to him in organization, there are found 

 membraneous sacs of a greater or less extent, where the air becomes stifled, and 

 hence they are rendered incapable of producing any other than hoarse and inarti- 

 culate sounds. The large Apes of Africa, such as the Mandrills, merely emit a 

 low sound, resembhng aou, aou, pronounced in the throat, and never very loud. 

 Animals of the genera Cercopithecus and Macacus utter very sharp and disagreeable 

 cries. The Apes of the South American Continent, belonging to the genus Mycetes, 

 have received from travellers the appellation of Howlers. These unite together in 

 troops, and each Ape utters a continuous howl, which can be heard for at least a mile 

 in every direction. For this purpose, they are supphed with a laryngeal apparatus 

 of a remarkable appearance. Their lower jaw has its branches very distant from each 

 other and much elevated, for the purpose of receiving a bony drum in the interval 

 which separates them. The extremity of this organ is marked externally by a line 

 across the skin of the throat, it being nothing more than the hyoid bone greatly en- 

 larged and rendered hollow. This drum is the chief cause, in the Howlers, of the 

 frightful noises which are re-echoed continually through the forests of those remote 

 rerrions. The Sapajous also, from South America, merely utter a soft sonorous cry, 

 for which reason they have been called Weeping Monkies by some travellers. 



The Varied Lemur makes, it is said, a great noise in the woods of Madagascar ; how- 

 ever, the other species of this genus only emit a low and continuous grunt when in 

 confinement. 



The Bats, as well as the Shrews and other Insectivora, have no other voice than 

 a very sharp and feeble cry. 



The sound of the Bear is a growl, or loud murmur, often intermingled with the 

 gnashing of his teeth. That of the Kinkajou (Cercoleptes), when alone at night, 

 resembles the barking of a very small Dog, and always beginning with a kind of 

 sneeze. On being injured, its cry changes to the note of a young Pigeon. When 

 threatened, it hisses like a Goose, and if irritated, utters a noisy and confused cry. 

 The Badgers and Weasels, whether Martens or Polecats, always walk in silence, until 

 they meet with some injury, when they emit a sharp and hoarse cry, expressive of 

 resentment or pain. 



The yelping of the Fox consists of a kind of barking howl, which forms the proper 

 cry of that animal. It is chiefly in winter, especially during frost and snow, that the 

 Foxes yelp, at which season their cry becomes further distinguished by a sharper and 

 ■more elevated tone of voice. The howling of Wolves, and of many other Carnivorous 

 animals, is a -mournful and prolonged cry, which they utter either when pressed by 

 famine or transported with desire. It is more especially during the night that the 

 Wolves howl, and remarkably so in the long nights of winter. The Dog, on losing 

 his master, utters a melancholy and plaintive noise, which is in fact a kind of howl. 

 The barking of this animal is better known than the cry of any other species. An 

 attentive ear can distinguish the bark of pleasure on again meeting his master ; the 

 bark of pain when wounded or struck; and that of joy when playing with other animals 

 of his own kind. Those varieties commonly called Watch-dogs are generally silent 

 during the day, but bark more especially at night. When a pack of hounds are in 

 piM'suit of any animal, it is easy to tell, from the different modulations of their cries, 

 at what point the hunt has arrived. 



The sound of the Hyjena, when at large in the woods, has been compared by some 

 Naturalists to that of a Man when vomiting with great difficulty. In the IMenagerie, 

 however, this animal emits a cry of that kind only when irritated, at which time it 

 is also accompanied by a sound expressive of resentment, very similar to that used by 

 other Carnassiers on the same occasion. In the mewing, or rather the miauling of the 

 Cats, it is very easy to distinguish the attracting cries of the females ; the cries of pain 

 with which they repel the approaches of the males ; and the low and soft sounds with 

 which they invite their young ones to follow them. The males, during their noctur- 

 nal combats, interrupt the silence of the midnight hour with their noisy sounds, pre- 

 ceded or followed by smothered hisses and growls more or less prolonged. When 

 these animals are at their ease, especially when warm and after a repast, they pro- 

 duce a continual noise or purr, similar to that of a spinning-wheel when in motion, 

 which sound is due to a peculiar formation of the larynx. 



The roar of the Lion and Tiger is a frightful and imposing cry. The former con- 

 sists of prolonged and rather grave sounds, intermingled with others of a sharper 

 tone, and a kind of tremor, and is susceptible of numerous variations, according to 

 the age, sex, as well as the passions which animate the Lions. All African travel- 

 lers agree in representing the deep terror which suddenly seizes the other animals, 

 and especially Horses, when, in the depths of the forests, they hear this dreadful 

 cry around fhem. The roar of the Tiger is also very powerful and continuous for 

 four or five minutes ; that of the female is more plaintive, less interrupted, and of a 

 much longer duration. According to Azara, the roar of the Jaguar may be repre- 

 sented by the words houay houa. There is something plaintive in it, and, at the same 

 time, strong and grave, like the lowing of a Bull ; while that of the Panthers, with 

 which the Jaguar has often been confounded, resembles the noise of a saw. 



The voice of the adult Seals may be compared to that of a hoarse Dog. The cry 

 of the young is much clearer, approaching more nearly to the mewing of the Cat. 

 On separating the young from their mothers, the former miaule continually; while 

 the old ones bark furiously at those who molest them, and use every exertion by 

 biting to avenge the loss of their offspring. When attacked by INIan, the Morses low 

 in a most dreadful manner. 



All the Marsupialia, with which we are acquainted, appear to possess merely 

 a low and feeble voice; but the sounds emitted by many of them still remain un- 

 known. 



The Rodentia in general emit no other sound than a whistle. The common 

 Squirrel, as well as the Palm Squirrel, has a strong voice; and these animals emit a 



kind of murmur, or grumble of discontent, with the mouth shut, on being irritutcd. 

 The Striated Squirrel, and the Pteromys or Flying Squirrel, when unmolested, appear 

 to have no kind of voice, but in other circumstances, they utter a cry like the scream 

 of a Rat. The Marmot and Bobac, when playing or being caressed, have the voice 

 and murmur of a young Dog ; but on being irritated or frightened, they utter a 

 whistle so shrill and piercing as to offend the ear. According to Erxleben, the sound 

 of the Hamster is a kind of bark. The Campagnol Water-rat, when pursued so that 

 ho cannot escape, makes a cry resembling a snore. The Guinea-pigs have a grunt 

 similar to that of a young sucking Pig, and a kind of purring noise when pleased ; 

 their cry expressive of pain is very acute. The Agoutis and Pacas have also a grunt 

 like that of a Pig, while the Cabiai brays like an Ass. The voice of the Rat-moles 

 is merely a snore. The Ondatras make a kind of groaning, which is especially remark- 

 able in the females. The Siberian Jerboas, when irritated, have a cry similar to that 

 of a young Dog just born, and sometimes a kind of snore, whilst the Common Jerboa 

 raises a sharp cry. The Hares and Rabbits pass their lives in silence, and cry only 

 when wounded or tormented ; on these occasions, the former of these amimals emits 

 a sound which bears some resemblance to the human voice. The note of the Alpine 

 Hare (^Lagoviys Alpinus) is a simple and acute whistle, much resembling the cry of 

 a young bird; while that of the Calling Hare {L. pusillus^j another species of the 

 same genus, is a very strong and grave note, somewhat similar to that of a Quail. 

 This voice is composed of simple sounds, but repeated at equal intervals, three, four, 

 and often six times, and it can often be distinguished at the distance of half-a-mile, 

 although the animal which produces it is of very small dimensions. Finallv, the 

 Porcupine has a grunt similar to that of a Pig, from which circumstance it has in 

 part derived its name. 



Among the Edentata, one animal has received the name of Ai from its cry; in the 

 same manner as one of the Rodentia has been assigned the name of Aye-aye. The 

 LTnau or Two-toed Sloth, which belongs, like the Ai, to the genus Bradypus, cries 

 very rarely. Its note is brief, and is never repeated twice consecutively. Although 

 plaintive, it bears, however, no resemblance to that of the Ai. It is not known 

 whether the Ant-eaters, the animals belonging to the genera Manis, Orycteropus, 

 Echidna, and Ornithorhynchus, have any peculiarity in their voice. 



The ordinary cry of the Elephant is a grunt, which he changes into a whistling 

 noise when irritated. The appellation of River-horse, applied to the Hippopotamus, 

 derives its origin from the neighing noise made by this animal ; its cry of pain is a 

 kind of lowing, which bears much analogy to that of the Buffalo. The Rhinoceroses 

 emit a grunting noise, somewhat resembling that of the wild Boar and domestic Pig ; 

 that is to say, a series of hoarse, short, and rough sounds, following each other at 

 short intervals of time. The Tapirs have no other cry than a sharp whistle, which 

 might not have been expected from an animal of its magnitude. The Daman has 

 only a very feeble cry, and of short duration. 



The Camels and Dromedaries are commonly silent, if w-e except the period of the 

 rutting season, at which time they emit a very disagreeable rattling noise in the 

 throat. The voice of the Lamas appears to be a gentle moaning like the word 

 he-em, pronounced in the tone of voice of a complaining female ; and some interval of 

 time usually elapses before the animals repeat this sound. The Stags during the rutting 

 season emit their rough bellow ; it is a hoarse and disagreeable sound, which reaches 

 to a great distance. The Antelopes, the Goats, and Sheep, bleat ; and it is remarked, 

 that the bleating of the Rams is stronger and graver than that of the young, the 

 Ewes, or the Wethers. It has also been observed, that the bleating of the Goat 

 is shorter than that of the Sheep ; and that all these animals, when domesticated, are 

 most clamorous on leaving the stable for the fields, and in the evening on their return. 

 The greater part of the animals belonging to the Bull genus low or bellow; that is 

 to say, they emit a very grave, powerful, prolonged sound. There is one exception, 

 however, in the Yak, which grunts like a Pig. On this account it has been called 

 the Grunting Bull or Cow (^Bos griinniens). The Zebu, which is usually considered 

 as a simple variety of the common Bull, grunts likewise, which circumstance, accord- 

 ing to M. Desmarest, renders it probable that it should be regarded rather as a va- 

 riety of the Yak. The voice of the Buffalo is a frightful bellow, much more forcible 

 and clamorous than that of the Bull. 



The neighing of the Horse is emitted whenever he experiences any vivid sensa- 

 tion, or is animated by some passion. He utters this cry alike when inspired by 

 ■ courage, pride, or desire ; and neighs in the battle as if courting danger ; or during 

 the race, as though he defied his rivals to the contest. The braying of the Ass 

 is a well known discordant sound, which it emits when pressed by any want, or in- 

 spired by passion. 



Finally, the Cetacea, on happening to run aground, signify their consciousness of 

 danger by uttering a very strong howl, with but few repetitions. 



The voice of the Mammalia is not always confined to the simple purpose of ex- 

 pressing externally the interior or moral state of the individual ; it is also occasional- 

 ly employed as a means of preserving the species. While the INIarmots are feeding 

 on herbs in some elevated meadow of the Alps, one of them placed on a rock surveys 

 in security all the others ; and this advanced sentinel gives notice to his companions 

 on the approach of an enemy by a loud whistle, which is the signal for immediate 

 flight. In the same way the Wild Horses collect together in a dense troop, as soon 

 as some of them, on being apprised of the danger, give notice of their fear by a pecu- 

 liar neigh. The voice also serves to attract the sexes during the rutting season. 

 At this period it usually changes its nature, as we may remark in the Stags, ivhose 

 throats swell, and impart a graver tone to their cries. The peculiar sounds of the 

 carnivorous animals further serve as a warning note to the feebler quadrupeds, and 

 may thus contribute indirectly towards the preservation of the latter. 



It can be readily perceived from the preceding observations, that the greater part of 

 the Mammalia are generally incapable of producing any other sounds than such as are 

 either noisy or disagreeable. Yet after having once heard each particular noise, we 

 can easily recognise these animals by their respective cries. The variety of sounds is 

 so great, that it often becomes very dilficult, if not impossible, to convey, by any 

 form of words, an adequate idea of the peculiar sensations which many of them oc- 

 casion. 



