ORPHEUS AT THE ZOO 
138 
most successful experiment. The piccolo was stopped, 
and a very soft air played upon the flute. The 
difference in effect was seen at once. The tiger 
ceased to “ rampage,” and the leaps subsided to a 
gentle walk, until the animal came to the bars, and, 
standing still and quiet once more, listened with 
pleasure to the music. 
No doubt it is possible to draw very different con- 
clusions from experiments of so imperfect a character 
as those which we have described. But it would 
probably be fair to infer that, for some cause, the 
violin and flute, which human taste has marked as 
among the most pleasing of musical instruments, are 
those most acceptable to animals under that unknown 
law which determines this branch of animal aesthetics. 
