> It would seem that a species would keep language as simple as possible to
> convey information.

Agreed.  Firstly, I'm not suggesting that a high density complex message is
actually being sent by any species of critter imposed on their repetitive
sound emissions, merely that it is possible.

We have no idea how much detail is being conveyed by bees in the sounds
described in the reference Gavin supplied recently.

Also consider the various devices beekeepers have invented to listen in on
hives, and which are claimed to be able to predict hive conditions and
predict events.

Further, I have no idea what earth shattering and bandwidth-hogging messages
they might need to send, other than the evening news, the latest soap opera,
or the BEE list equivalent for their species or neighbourhood.  (See end
note).  I'm merely pointing out that it is fairly trivial for man to impose
quite a bit of info onto repeated acoustic notes similar to those that make
up a simple bird song without being particularly obvious, then decode that
info.

> It took some time before FM radio came along because it was more complex
> and not intuitive.

That is not really relevant.  I think that such an example is looking for
more difficult, not more simple modulation or encoding examples.

> I have some difficulty trying to determine just how an organism would
> create a carrier wave and modulate it to convey information.

Well, there are many many very simple ways that do not require sophisticated
equipment, beginning with altering the repetition rate, frequencies, speed,
introducing warble, etc.  There are so many ways that I really cannot begin
to cover them all.  After all, I believe that there is a human language that
sounds to us like buzzes and clicks.

    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

End Note: IF such a theory proved out, the content could be any or all of
the above.  Communication does not have to be purposeful.  After all,
commercial broadcasting has proven conclusively that it is possible to
commandeer vast amounts of bandwidth to transmit vast amounts of
"information" that leaves the listener more ignorant after receipt than
before.  Perhaps this is the problem with the dance language: maybe some
bees like Opera and Geraldo are sending confused messages, resulting in odd
and self-defeating bee behaviour, and confounding the researchers observing
the dances.

    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

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