Introduction 29 



But some cases, like those cited in the Coyote, are so 

 extraordinary and so difficult of explanation by the operation 

 of the ordinary senses that many field-naturalists have been led 

 to believe in a special sense, called second-sight or telepathy. 

 Modern psychologists, however, do not accept the telepathic 

 theory, but suggest, rather, that hitherto we have failed to 

 gauge accurately the sense-capacity of animals. 



The evolution of amusements is a fascinating theme. We amuse- 

 find all stages among our animals. A high pitch is reached ' 

 when many adults of a species will meet together under circum- 

 stances divesting the meeting of any sex or food impulse and 

 engage in some friendly contest for the joy of combat, without 

 anger or danger. The highest stage is reached when there is 

 a set place with special apparatus. This is seen in the Otter 

 slide and the European Badger's gameof" King of the Castle." 



The marriage customs of animals are full of human mating 

 interest and lessons. There can be no doubt that at first ani- 

 mals were hermaphrodite; and that as soon as sex appeared, 

 promiscuity was the order of the time. This, through ages of 

 experiment, was displaced by polyandry and polygamy, and 

 these in turn by pure monogamy in the highest animals. So 

 that although all forms are represented to-day, monogamy is 

 proving its superiority. 



Other things equal, a monogamous animal will beat a 

 polygamous in the struggle for life. As a rule, the higher quad- 

 rupeds in North America that hold their own against man are 

 monogamous. 



The relation of the father to the family is important for 

 observation here. As soon as he becomes a member of the 

 family group an entirely new and much higher plane is reached. 



Home is the abiding place of the family. The home group home 

 among all higher creatures is essentially a trinity of father, 

 mother and young. Any other grouping with more factors 

 or less is not successful; therefore, only the truly monog- 



