Next to the dog there is no animal in which there is more variation of
sound than in oxen: "Their lowing, though rough and rude, is music to
the farmer's ear save one who moans the loss of her sportive young; with
wandering eye and anxious look she grieves the livelong day." It is
specially difficult in the case of oxen to suppose that they have a
language; but it is impossible to doubt that the variations of their
lowing are understood of one another, and serve to express their
feelings if not their thoughts.

[Illustration]
[Illustration: COW LOWING.]

In the matter of exclamations, one knows how readily these may be
imitated upon the violin, or in the case of the deeper or more guttural
sounds, on the violoncello. The natural effect is greatly aided by the
sliding of the finger along the note, especially in the case of the
lowing of cattle; but there are other exclamations that are readily
reduced to music. Gardiner gives one or two interesting cases, and the
common salutation, "How d'ye do?" may be instanced. It usually starts on
B natural, and the voice rising to D ends on C; whereas, the reply,
"Pretty well, thank you," begins on D, and falling to A, ends again on
D. After a few attempts on the piano, the reader will be able readily to
form these notes for himself.

[Illustration]
[Illustration: HORSE NEIGHING.]

The horse, on the other hand, is rarely heard, and, though having a
piercing whinny which passes through every semitone of the scale, it is
scarcely ever varied.