162 WHERE ROLLS THE OREGON 



flock-consciousness, sight or scent or other kind 

 of communication. Certain butterflies flock and 

 migrate together with as evident a plan and 

 agreement as the flocking birds have ; but for the 

 most part they are solitary creatures. Did they 

 come singly to the summit of Hood, without 

 agreement and without purpose, each one flying 

 up and up, in a blind attempt to scale the op- 

 posing wall and so reaching the top *? Then why 

 did they not pass over and down? Why did 

 they stay ? Whatever be the right guess, it was 

 surely not for food that they congregated here. 



I think they came to play, and that they came, 

 perhaps, "byforewardandbycomposicioun." For 

 the love of play is much more compelling in 

 animal life than we imagine. The lack of laughter 

 alone distinguishes animal play from ours. We 

 climbed the peak for play the guide alone for 

 money ; and I don't remember that one of us so 

 much as smiled during the time we spent on the 

 summit. How did we differ from the butterflies "? 

 The animals have no sense of humor. From the 

 highest to the lowest they show the keenest joy 

 in sport; but they cannot laugh; theirs is mirth- 

 less play. I once saw, however, what I took 



