128 The American Naturalist. [February, 
cart wheel is referred to as “accustomed music.”' The instance 
here quoted may be more properly regarded as illustrating the 
relation of certain sounds to the ordinary routine, and said sounds 
having been continued for a long time, until they became a per- 
manent factor in the experience of these animals, the discontinu- 
ance caused, perhaps, a feeling of strangeness and discontent. 
SHEEP AND MUSIC. 
The following pleasing anecdote of the power of music is given 
by the celebrated Haydn. “In my early youth,” says he, “I 
went with some other young people equally devoid of care, one 
morning during the extreme heat of summer, to seek for cool- 
ness and fresh air on one of the lofty mountains which surround 
the Lago Maggiore, in Lombardy. Having reached the middle of 
the ascent by daybreak, we stopped to contemplate the Barro- 
mean Isles, which were displayed under our feet, in the middle of 
the lake, when we were surrounded by a large flock of sheep 
which were leaving their fold to go to the pasture. 
“One of our party, who was no bad performer on the flute, 
and who always carried the instrument with him, took it out of 
his pocket. ‘I am going,’ said he, ‘to turn Corydon; let us see 
whether Virgil’s sheep will recognize their pastor.’ He began to 
play. The sheep and goats, which were following one another 
towards the mountain, with their heads hanging down, raised 
them at the first sound of the flute, and all with a general and 
hasty movement turned to the side from+whence the agreeable 
noise proceeded. They gradually flocked round the musician, 
and listened with motionless attention. He ceased playing, and 
the sheep did not stir. 
“The shepherd with his staff now obliged them to move on; 
but no sooner did the fluter begin again to play than his inno- 
cent auditors again returned to him. The shepherd, out of pa- 
tence, pelted them with clods of earth, but not one of them 
would move. The fluter played with additional skill ; the shep- 
herd fell into a passion, whistled, scolded, and pelted the poor 
P Tarin a a 
1 But then Wiil Carl ti lled poetry. 


