#8 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Chinese or Mongolian, idea of music and musical sounds, whether 

 vocal or instrumental. 



Some time ago there appeared in a New York paper an account 

 of an interview with an Englishman residing in that city, who, it 

 was stated, had a mania for collecting and taming various small 

 animals, lizards, snakes, spiders, &c. The question was asked, 

 " How do you manage the taming process ? " Answer. — " It was 

 simple enough. First of all I tried kindness. By kindness 

 I mean warmth and music, and as much food as the animals 

 could possibly eat, so as to get them into a state of torpor. If 

 they were not well advanced in amiability in a week, the music was 

 stopped altogether, and I gave but little food. This made them 

 savage. They then had music occasionally, the doses increasing 

 in proportion to the improvement in their temper." 



Question. — "What kind of music did you give them?" 

 Answer. — "It varied a great deal. Some of them liked a piano 

 best. Some liked a violin, and others a flute, and one was never 

 so happy as when listening to an iEolian harp I had erected on 

 the window of the room I kept them in. They all liked a musical 

 box. You might not believe it, but there was not a single one of 

 my snakes or lizards that could not distinguish instruments and 

 tunes. They had very good taste and ear, and would keep time 

 to slow measured music by wagging their heads, and if I ever 

 created discord when playing thej T would get quite in a rage. 

 I remember a thunderstorm angered them once, and I could hardly 

 keep them from attacking one another and indulging in a free 

 fight. Luckily an itinerant German band was within hail, and 

 I prevailed upon its members by financial "arguments to play to 

 these beasts for an hour. They were pacified, but the neighbours 

 for two hundred yards around were not." 



While conceding a liberal margin for the embellishment of 

 the interviewer and the enthusiasm of the interviewed, there is 

 no doubt that the leaven of the fact prevails in the foregoing. 

 The statement as to the wagging of heads, however, may safely 

 be disregarded. 



Without further preamble or speculation, in proceeding with 

 the data which are here brought together, we will begin with the 

 domestic animals, and first with the dogs — " dogs of high and 

 low degree." 



Dogs and Music— Goodrich relates many interesting anecdotes 



