THE EFFECTS OF MUSICAL BOUNDS ON ANIMALS. 8? 



The sense of sounds, we may assume, varies in animals below 

 man as it does in man, or as the colour-sense varies; often limited, 

 or nearly or quite wanting ; hence the term colour-blindness, and 

 we may use the term sound -deafness in an analagous way. 



The experiments of Sir John Lubbock referred to show a 

 great difference in the perceptions and receptivity of dogs, as 

 between his black poodle "Van" and Lady Lubbock's collie 

 "Patience." In speaking of it Sir John says: — " I was rather 

 disappointed at this, as if it had succeeded the plan would have 

 opened out many interesting lines of inquiry. Still, in such a 

 case, one ought not to wish for one result more than another, as 

 of course the object of all such experiments is merely to elicit 

 the truth, and our result in the present case, though negative, is 

 very interesting." 



To the terms music and musical sounds, in this connection, 

 an exceedingly liberal definition must be conceded — liberal in a 

 simple and non-technical sense, so as to include : — 



1. Sounds not even musical, but occurring in simple rhythmic 

 order or succession, like the common marching drum-taps, when 

 the full military band is resting. 



2. Melodious sounds, or sounds in themselves musical, 

 occurring in harmonious sequence. 



8. The same in various strains or keys, more or less complex, 

 but combined and arranged in accordance with harmony. 



Of these definitions the first will oftenest serve the purpose. 



It would seem that in the selection of tunes or sounds for 

 experimental use, a hint may be had from the animals by observing 

 the special sounds uttered by them in their various moods. 



With the birds, for instance, a tune, or sounds which include 

 the notes uttered in their amorous moods at or about mating- 

 time. 



Many of the sounds which by man are regarded as musical 

 and agreeable may not produce an agreeable impression upon 

 animals, but may have an annoying effect upon them, as the 

 monotonous, attenuated and irritating hum of the mosquito, the 

 filing of a saw, or the rivetting of a steam boiler, with its rasping 

 and tumultuous clangour, have upon us. 



I spoke of sounds that are regarded as musical by man, but 

 here comes to mind a wide chasm in the way of difference between 

 the musical sense or taste of the European or Caucasian, and the 



