EMOTION IN ANIMALS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XL, Issue 3018, 27 May 1884, Page 3

EMOTION IN ANIMALS.

(Home Papor.) Two essentials nre needed m order to produce tho physical phenomenon of laughter m man. First facial, vocal or other muscles, inclnding tho diaphragm ; and, second, the emotions or ideas which give riso to laughter. Certain nnimnls possess both these essentials. The chimpanzee is said to smile. The smile of the titi monkey is a playful one. The dog can both smilo and grin, whether affection or pleaauro, hypocrisy or cunning dictate. Dogs distinguish tho different kinds of laughter ; they note the distinction between that which is goodhumored and that which is sarcastic. They are sensitive to ridicule, yet not unfrequently try to produce laughter m man, and deep is their mortification if they fail. Romanes tell us of a certain Skye terrier that tried to amuse his master and provoke his laughter by certain tricks it had taught itself, and was sulky if his efforts proved fruitless. An orang-outang m the London Zoological Gardens showed every aign of pleasure when its practical jokes excited men's laughter, aud Dr Wood records the instance of a tame jackdaw which enjoyed the fun of boys' games like leapfrog and tag aa much as the boys did themselves. The parrot is a capital laugher. He laughs at his own pratical jokes. White, of Selbourne, speaks of the heartiness m the laughter of the woodpecker. A pet magpie of Jessie's he says, m that incomparable " History of Selbourne," had a laugh that was so hearty, joyous, nnd natural, that no one who heard it could help joining m it. There are tales of certain swallows, who, on the successful issue of a practical joke played by them on a cat, seemed each to set up a laugh at the disappoin ted enemy very like the laugh of a young child when tickled. There is a certain hyena which, from the peculiarity of its cry, is styled the laughing hyena ; and m Australia, there is a bird — a kingfisher — which is called for a similar reason the laughing jackass. Its notes strongly resemble a rude, powerful laugh. Tho great African traveller, Livingstone, speaks of the African brown ibis, whose cry is a loud ha-ha-ha. As it is true that certain animals possess the physical qualifications for laughter, so also is it correct that they possess all the apparatus for shedding tears. The dog, horse, elephant, bear, rat, donkey, mule, varions deer, soko, chimpanzee, mandrill, titi, and other monkeys or apes, cattle, camel, and giraffe shed tears under emotions of grief and sorrow. The parrot does not shed tears, but possesses a kindred power of sobbing. Chimpanzees will weep at dread of punishment, monkeys and elephants on account of mortification and disappointment, the Cingalese elephant on account of captivity and confinement, the titi from fear, terror, or fright ; the stag at bay, and caged rat from despair, certain monkeys because they are pitied, and tho young aoko (says Dr Livingstone) out of mere pottishness or non-complianco with his whims. Mrs Burton says she has seen m tho Syrian Desert " tears roll down camels' cheeks when thirsty." Some one, speaking of a mule crippled by a two-iuch nail m his foot, says: — "His face was the picture of pain and despair. Tears streamed out of his eyes." Dr Livingstone records an instance of a young soko which, if not taken up m the arms like a child when it deßired nnd appealed to be so carried, engaged m the most bitter human-like weeping. Dr Boerlage shot a female (mother) apo m Java, that fell mortally wounded from a tree, clasping the young one m her arms, and sho died wooping. A giraffe, wounded by a rifle shot, was also found to havo tears trickling from the lashes of his dark, humid eyes. Gordon Cumming, tho African traveller, speaks of large tours trickling from tho eyes of a dying elephant. Somo old rats, finding a young one dead by drowning, wiped the tears from their eyes with their fore-paws. Instances might be enumerated without limit to show that certain animals have both tho physical requirements for grins and tears, and are susceptible to tho same emotions that cause tears and laughter m man.