BIRDS CURIOSITY, PRIDE, PLAY. 279 



placed within sight, say of ducks, the birds approach to 

 examine them, and fall into the snares which have been 

 prepared. Similarly, in oceanic islands unfrequented by 

 man, the birds fearlessly approach to examine the first 

 human beings that they have seen. 



That birds exhibit pride might be considered doubtful 

 if we had to rely only on the evidence supplied by the 

 display of the peacock, and the strutting of the turkey- 

 gobbler ; for these actions, although so expressive of this 

 emotion, may not really be due to it. But I think that 

 the evident pleasure which is taken in achievement by 

 talking birds can only be ascribed to the emotion in ques- 

 tion. These birds regularly practise their art, and when 

 a new phrase is perfected they show an unmistakable de- 

 light in displaying the result. 



Play is exhibited by many species in various ways, and 

 it seems to be this class of feelings in their most organised 

 form which have led to the extraordinary instincts of the 

 bower-birds of New South Wales. The * playhouses ' 

 of the animals have been described by Mr. Gould in his 

 * History of the Bird? of New South Wales.' Of course the 

 play-instincts are here united with those of courtship, which 

 are of such general occurrence among birds ; but I think 

 no one can read Mr. Gould's description of the bowers and 

 the uses to which they are put without feeling that the 

 love of sportive play must have been joined with the 

 sexual instincts in producing the result. But, be this as 

 it may, there can be no question that these bowers are 

 highly interesting structures, as furnishing the most un- 

 exceptionable evidence of true aesthetic, if not artistic 

 feeling on the part of the bird which constructs them ; and, 

 according to Mr. Herbert Spencer, the artistic feelings are 

 physiologically allied with those of play. It is a matter 

 of importance to obtain definite proof of an aesthetic sense 

 in animals, because this constitutes the basis of Mr. Dar- 

 win's theory of sexual selection ; but as he has treated the 

 evidence on this subject in so exhaustive a manner, I shall 

 not enter upon so wide a field further than to point out 

 that the case of the bower-bird, even if it stood alone, 

 would be amply sufficient to carry the general conclusion 



