SEXUAL SELECTION IN RELATION TO MAN 735 



may have been a songster. It is more remarkablei that par- 

 rots, belonging to a group distinct from the Insessores, and 

 having differently constructed vocal organs, can be taught 

 not only to speak, but to pipe or whistle tunes invented by 

 man, so that they must have some musical capacity. Never- 

 theless it would be very rash to assume that parrots are 

 descended from some ancient form which was a songster. 

 Many cases could be advanced of organs and instincts origi- 

 nally adapted for one purpose having been utilized for some 

 distinct purpose." Hence the capacity for high musical de- 

 velopment, which the savage races of man possess, may be 

 due either to the practice by our semi-human progenitors 

 of some rude form of music, or simply to their having ac- 

 quired the proper vocal organs for a different purpose. But 

 in this latter case we must assume, as in the above instance 

 of parrots, and as seems to occur with many animals, that 

 they already possessed some sense of melody. 



Music arouses in us various emotions, but not the more 

 terrible ones of horror, fear, rage, etc. It awakens the 

 gentler feelings of tenderness and love, which readily pass 

 into devotion. In the Chinese annals it is said: "Music 

 hath the power of making heaven descend upon earth." It 

 likewise stirs up in us the sense of triumph and the glorious 

 ardor for war. These powerful and mingled feelings may 

 well give rise to the sense of sublimity. We can concen- 

 trate, as Dr. Seemann observes, greater intensity of feeling 

 in a single musical note than in pages of writing. It is 

 probable that nearly the same emotions, but much weaker 

 and far less complex, are felt by birds when the male pours 

 forth his full volume of song, in rivalry with other males, 



^' Since this chapter -was printed, I have seen a valuable article by Mr. 

 Chauncey Wright ("North American Review," Oct. 18T0, page 293), who, 

 in discussing the above subject, remarks, "There are many consequences of 

 the ultimate laws or uniformities of nature, through which the acquisition 

 of one useful power will bring with it many resulting advantages as well as 

 limiting disadvantages, actual or possible, which the principle of utility may 

 not have comprehended in its action." As I have attempted to show in an 

 early chapter of this work, this principle has an Important bearing on the acqui- 

 sition by man of some of his mental characteristics. 



