176 ) 
[March, 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
%* The Editor does not hold himself responsible for statements of fadts or 
opinions expressed in Correspondence, or in Articles bearing the signature 
of their respe&ive authors. 
SPEECH IN ANIMALS. 
To the Editor of the Journal of Science. 
Sir, — I have read the article on this subject in the January 
number of the “Journal of Science ” with considerable interest, 
especially as the idea of civilising monkeys by the hereditary 
accumulation of training influences was suggested to myself 
some years ago by the following rather instructive incident : — 
Visiting the monkey-house of the Zoological Gardens I was 
much struck with the remarkable frontal development and intel- 
ligence of expression and conduCt of a small monkey, — so much 
so that I sought out the keeper in order to obtain information 
respecting the species and habitat of the specimen. He told me 
that it was born in the monkey-house , and if I remember rightly 
he spoke of it as the only instance of such birth ; but of this I 
am uncertain. It died shortly afterwards, probably of consump- 
tion, which kills so many of the imported animals. 
This case shows the possibility of breeding monkeys in con- 
finement, and justifies me in making the following suggestion : — 
Let a careful selection be made of well-matched healthy pairs of 
gentle monkeys, and, instead of shutting them in cages, give 
them the range of a sub-tropical conservatory like the Palm House 
at K ew Gardens, but feeding them from the hand, and otherwise 
promoting that personal attachment to man which has so much 
influence in developing the moral and intellectual powers of the 
lower animals, — a development which in man we call “civilisa- 
tion,” in animals “ taming,” but which is virtually the same in 
both cases. 
As an example of the possible docility and affeCtion of such 
animals I may describe a case which I now have continual 
opportunities of observing. My friend and neighbour Dr. 
Branthwaite, of Harlesden, had a small monkey from Penang 
given to him about eighteen months ago. It lives in his 
