178 ) 
[March, 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
V The Editor does not hold himself responsible for statements of . fa *® 01 
opinions expressed in Correspondence, or in Articles bearing e - <=> 
of their respe&ive authors. 
“ DUMB ANIMALS.” 
Can you or any of your correspondents inform me when the 
cant expression “ dumb animals,” for all animals save man, ori- 
ginated, and who was its author ? In the sense in which it is 
used in England it is, I believe, unknown in other civilised 
countries. To the best of my knowledge if a German were to 
mention “ die stummen Thiere ” he would be understood to 
mean merely those animals which are incapable o commun 
eating with their like by sound. 
Graduate. 
[We believe the phrase is a survival. The ancient Greeks 
called all aliens “ dumb.” It is now chiefly used by Bestiarians 
who conceive that it adds weight to their utterances.— Ed. J . b.J 
