32 
PASSIONS OF ANIMALS. 
PASSIONS OF ANIMALS. 
“ Spry and others state that the snake-catchers in the East 
Indies have the art of enticing snakes from their conceal- 
ment, by a kind of song or humming sound; and Neales 
affirms, that he tamed rattle-snakes by music, and, however 
dangerous they might be, he completely subdued them ; 
which is confirmed by Chateaubriand, who saw the anger of 
one of these reptiles completely subdued by the tones of a flute. 
Lenz, on the other hand, describes these as mere fables, as 
in no instance could he ever succeed in making any impres- 
sion on a snake by music, but he cites the instance of a 
goose which followed a harp-player whenever he performed. 
Bechstein says that mice are attracted by music, and Bettina 
noticed the same in running up the gamut. An elephant in 
Paris, within hearing of a concert, expressed, by its gestures, 
its pleasures at some pieces, whilst others did not affect it. 
Some dogs are singularly excited by music, and accompany 
it with a distressing kind of howl. It is known to sports- 
men that the deer and roe listen to music ; and, according 
to Obsonville, monkeys are attracted by it, and exhibit 
marked delight. 
u It is certain that insects are sensible of sound ; for 
crickets and grasshoppers answer to each other’s chirpings, 
and they may be even enticed and caught by the imitation 
of their note. In Italy, the noise made by the chirpings of 
the Cicada plebeia is almost deafening, and it has been no- 
ticed that a beginning made by one individual, has been im- 
mediately responded to by hundreds. The Anobium pani- 
cum, or death-watch, makes a peculiar ticking sound (whence 
its name,) and the author has often brought an individual 
near him by striking his nail on the table, in imitation of its 
note, which, however, does not proceed from the insect, but 
is made by striking its mandibles on the wood. 
“ Bees, it is alleged, recognise the voice of their keeper, and 
as the queen has the poweg, of uttering a sharp note, which 
can be distinctly heard by a bystander, before the swarming 
of hive, it is natural to conclude that it is made for some 
object, and that it is also perceptible by the whole com- 
munity. As regards the absurdity of the country practice 
of ringing a bell or of striking two pieces of metal together 
when a swarm is in the air, under the impression that the 
sound attracts the bees to the spot, it is hardly to be wished 
that it should be discontinued, for, however discordant it 
may be, it is yet an honest piece of rural life. Its real object, 
