THE OCCUPATIONS OF ANIMALS 15 



only allude to them to show what animals are capable 

 of in the way of sleep. 



Lastly, animals spend no inconsiderable portion of 

 the day in play. The play of animals is too big a 

 subject to be discussed at the tail end of an essay. It 

 must suffice that nearly all the higher animals indulge 

 in play ; some go as far as to play regular games. 



The life of an animal bears the same relation to that 

 of a human being as an anthem does to a polemic 

 oration. The anthem is made up of one short para- 

 graph ; the speech is replete with facts and figures. 

 The delivery of each may occupy the same time. In 

 the former, two or three phrases are sung and resung ; 

 in the latter, weighty sentences follow in rapid succession, 

 one upon the other. 



It may be said that, if such be the case, if animals 

 have thus to drag out their lives, they cannot be happy. 

 This I deny. Animals are not aware of the fact that 

 they are frittering away their lives, that they do much 

 useless work. The singing of an anthem causes as 

 much pleasure to the chorister as the delivery of a great 

 speech to the orator. 



I took out my pony this morning. She had not left 

 her stable for several days, except for walking exercise. 

 Was she bored by her long sojourn in the stable ? Not 

 in the least. She seemed very loath to leave it. During 

 the whole of the outward journey she was making 

 attempts to turn homewards, and when at last her 

 desire was realized, her pace was visibly accelerated. 



The dog forms an exception. No doubt he does get 

 tired of doing nothing. The piteous wail of a hound 



