Wednesday 2 February 2011

They don't do science like this anymore; or, Darwin keeps making me cry

"The second case was that of a Hindustani man, who from illness and poverty was compelled to sell his favourite goat. After receiving the money, he repeatedly looked at the money in his hand and then at the goat, as if doubting whether he would not return it. He went to the goat, which was tied up ready to be led away, and the animal reared up and licked his hands. His eyes then wavered from side to side; his mouth was partially closed, with the corners very decidedly depressed. At last the poor man seemed to make up his mind that he must part with this goat, and then, as Mr Scott saw, the eyebrows became slightly oblique, with the characteristic puckering or swelling at the inner ends, but the wrinkles on the forehead were not present. The man stood thus for a minute, then heaving a deep sigh, burst into tears, raised up his two hands, blessed the goat, turned round, and without looking again, went away."

- Charles Darwin, The Expressions of the Emotions in Man and Animals

5 comments:

chicken hearted said...

Yup, made my eyes leak too.

Anonymous Bosch said...

A good goat is hard to find.

M L Jassy said...

A beautician who gave me a massage in India showed me a photo of her goat, which was in the family photo album alongside parents, husband and children.

livebird said...

Forgive me if this is old hat, but have you seen the Evolution Made Us All video? Lovely:

http://vimeo.com/19416924

Alexis, Baron von Harlot said...

Lamprey eel! Thank you.