the expression of emotion in man and animals-第18章
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thers； &c。； under the emotions of anger and terrorThe drawing back of the ears as a preparation for fighting； and as an expression of anger Erection of the ears and raising the head； a sign of attention。
IN this and the following chapter I will describe； but only in sufficient detail to illustrate my subject； the expressive movements； under different states of the mind； of some few well…known animals。 But before considering them in due succession； it will save much useless repetition to discuss certain means of expression common to most of them。
_The emission of Sounds_。With many kinds of animals； man included； the vocal organs are efficient in the highest degree as a means of expression。 We have seen； in the last chapter； that when the sensorium is strongly excited； the muscles of the body are generally thrown into violent action； and as a consequence； loud sounds are uttered； however silent the animal may generally be； and although the sounds may be of no use。 Hares and rabbits for instance； never； I believe； use their vocal organs except in the extremity of suffering； as； when a wounded hare is killed by the sportsman； or when a young rabbit is caught by a stoat。 Cattle and horses suffer great pain in silence； but when this is excessive； and especially when associated with terror； they utter fearful sounds。 I have often recognized； from a distance on the Pampas； the agonized death…bellow of the cattle； when caught by the lasso and hamstrung。 It is said that horses； when attacked by wolves； utter loud and peculiar screams of distress。
Involuntary and purposeless contractions of the muscles of the chest and glottis； excited in the above manner； may have first given rise to the emission of vocal sounds。 But the voice is now largely used by many animals for various purposes； and habit seems to have played an important part in its employment under other circumstances。 Naturalists have remarked； I believe with truth； that social animals； from habitually using their vocal organs as a means of intercommunication； use them on other occasions much more freely than other animals。 But there are marked exceptions to this rule； for instance； with the rabbit。 The principle； also； of association； which is so widely extended in its power； has likewise played its part。 Hence it follows that the voice； from having been habitually employed as a serviceable aid under certain conditions； inducing pleasure； pain； rage； &c；； is commonly used whenever the same sensations or emotions are excited； under quite different conditions； or in a lesser degree。
The sexes of many animals incessantly call for each other during the breeding…season； and in not a few cases； the male endeavours thus to charm or excite the female。 This； indeed； seems to have been the primeval use and means of development of the voice； as I have attempted to show in my ‘Descent of Man。' Thus the use of the vocal organs will have become associated with the anticipation of the strongest pleasure which animals are capable of feeling。 Animals which live in society often call to each other when separated； and evidently feel much joy at meeting； as we see with a horse； on the return of his companion； for whom he has been neighing。 The mother calls incessantly for her lost young ones； for instance； a cow for her calf； and the young of many animals call for their mothers。 When a flock of sheep is scattered； the ewes bleat incessantly for their lambs； and their mutual pleasure at coming together is manifest。 Woe betide the man who meddles with the young of the larger and fiercer quadrupeds； if they hear the cry of distress from their young。 Rage leads to the violent exertion of all the muscles； including those of the voice； and some animals； when enraged； endeavour to strike terror into their enemies by its power and harshness； as the lion does by roaring； and the dog by growling。 I infer that their object is to strike terror； because the lion at the same time erects the hair of its mane； and the dog the hair along its back； and thus they make themselves appear as large and terrible as possible。 Rival males try to excel and challenge each other by their voices； and this leads to deadly contests。 Thus the use of the voice will have become associated with the emotion of anger； however it may be aroused。 We have also seen that intense pain； like rage； leads to violent outcries； and the exertion of screaming by itself gives some relief； and thus the use of the voice will have become associated with suffering of any kind。
The cause of widely different sounds being uttered under different emotions and sensations is a very obscure subject。 Nor does the rule always hold good that there is any marked difference。 For instance with the dog； the bark of anger and that of joy do not differ much； though they can be distinguished。 It is not probable that any precise explanation of the cause or source of each particular sound； under different states of the mind； will ever be given。 We now that some animals； after being domesticated； have acquired the habit of uttering sounds which were not natural to them。＇1＇ Thus domestic dogs； and even tamed jackals； have learnt to bark； which is a noise not proper to any species of the genus； with the exception of the _Canis latrans_ of North America； which is said to bark。 Some breeds； also； of the domestic pigeon have learnt to coo in a new and quite peculiar manner。
The character of the human voice； under the influence of various emotions； has been discussed by Mr。 Herbert Spencer＇2＇ in his interesting essay on Music。 He clearly shows that the voice alters much under different conditions； in loudness and in quality； that is； in resonance and _timbre_； in pitch and intervals。 No one can listen to an eloquent orator or preacher； or to a man calling angrily to another； or to one expressing astonishment； without being struck with the truth of Mr。 Spencer's remarks。 It is curious how early in life the modulation of the voice becomes expressive。 With one of my children； under the age of two years； I clearly perceived that his humph of assent was rendered by a slight modulation strongly emphatic； and that by a peculiar whine his negative expressed obstinate determination。 Mr。 Spencer further shows that emotional speech； in all the above respects is intimately related to vocal music； and consequently to instrumental music； and he attempts to explain the characteristic qualities of both on physiological groundsnamely； on 〃the general law that a feeling is a stimulus to muscular action。〃 It may be admitted that the voice is affected through this law； but the explanation appears to me too general and vague to throw much light on the various differences； with the exception of that of loudness； between ordinary speech and emotional speech； or singing。
＇1＇ See the evidence on this head in my ‘Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication；' vol。 i。 p。 27。 On the cooing of pigeons； vol。 i。 pp。 154； 155。
＇2＇ ‘Essays； Scientific； Political； and Speculative；' 1858。 ‘The Origin and Function of Music；' p。 359。
This remark holds good； whether we believe that the various qualities of the voice originated in speaking under the excitement of strong feelings； and that these qualities have subsequently been transferred to vocal music； or whether we believe； as I maintain； that the habit of uttering musical sounds was first developed； as a means of courtship； in the early progenitors of man； and thus became associated with the strongest emotions of which they were capable；namely； ardent love； rivalry and triumph。 That animals utter musical notes is familiar to every one； as we may daily hear in the singing of birds。 It is a more remarkable fact that an ape； one of the Gibbons； produces an exact octave of musical sounds； ascending and descending the scale by halftones； so that this monkey 〃alone of brute mammals may be said to sing。〃＇3＇ From this fact； and from the analogy of other animals； I have been led to infer that the progenitors of man probably uttered musical tones； before they had acquired the power of articulate speech； and that consequently； when the voice is used under any strong emotion； it tends to assume； through the principle of asso
