82 THE DESCENT OF MAN. 



probably undergone change more than once during the interval 

 of five years. This dog might have brought forward the argu- 

 ment lately advanced to crush all evolutionists, and said, "I abide 

 "amid all mental moods and all material changes. . . .The teaching 

 "that atoms leave their impressions as legacies to other atoms 

 "falling into the places they have vacated is contradictory of the 

 "utterance of consciousness, and is therefore false; but it is the 

 "teaching necessitated by evolutionism, consequently the hypothe- 

 "sis is a false one."" 



Language. — This faculty has justly been considered as one of 

 the chief distinctions between man and the lower animals. But 

 man, as a highly competent judg6, Archbishop Whately remarks, 

 "is not the only animal that can make use of language to express 

 "what is passing in his mind, and can understand, more or less, 

 "what is so expressed by another."" In Paraguay the Cebus 

 azarae when excited utters at least six distinct sounds, which 

 excite in other monkeys similar emotions.*' The movements of 

 the features and gestures of monkeys are understood by us, and 

 they partly understand ours, as Rengger and others declare. It 

 is a more remarkable fact that the dog, since being domesticated, 

 has learnt to bark" in at least four or five distinct tones. Al- 

 though barking is a new art, no doubt the wild parent-species of 

 the dog expressed their feelings by cries of various kinds. With 

 the domesticated dog we have the bark of eagerness, as in the 

 chase; that of anger, as well as growling; the yelp or howl of 

 despair, as when shut up; the baying at night; the bark of joy, as 

 when starting on a walk with his master; and the very distinct 

 one of demand or supplication, as when wishing for a door oi' 

 window to be opened. According to Houzeau, who paid particulai' 

 attention to the subject, the domestic fowl utters at least a dozen 

 significant sounds.'" 



The habitual use of articulate language is, however, peculiai 

 to man; but he uses, in common with the lower animals, inarticu- 

 late cries to express his meaning, aided by gestures and the move, 

 ments of the muscles of the face." This especially holds good 

 with the more simple and vivid feelings, which are but little 

 connected with our higher intelligence. Our cries of pain, fear 



« The Rev. Dr. J. McCann, 'Anti-Darwinism,' 1869, p. 13. 

 " Quoted in 'Anthropological Review,' 1864, p. 158. 

 " Rengrgrer, ibid. s. 45. 



"See my 'Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication 

 vol. i. p. 27. 



™ 'Facultes Mentales des Animaux." torn. ii. 1872, p. 346-349. 



=1 See a discussion on this subject in Mr. E. B. 'Tylor's very interest 

 ing work, 'Researches into the Early History of Mankind,' 1865, chaps 

 Ii. to iv. 



