210 DARWINIANISM. 



goldcrests, robins, sparrows, < wagtails, sedgewarblers, 

 larks, blackbirds, wood-pigeons, night-jars, ringdoves, 

 woodwrens, woodpeckers, linnets, blackcaps, whitethroats, 

 jays, yellow hammers. "What chiefly struck one in 

 watching the birds at the pond," says the writer of the 

 article, " was the vast power of enjoyment these creatures 

 possessed ; every quiver of the tiny wing assured one of 

 this, and every stray note that burst forth from the tiny 

 throat like the ' overflowing of brimful joy.' " Nay, it 

 seems that these tiny creatures can not only enjoy but 

 even play just like children, actually play ! " In refer- 

 ence to the idea that set games are played by animals, 

 the writer may mention a curious incident, witnessed by 

 the late Andrew Crosse at his residence on the Quantock 

 Hills. Looking one day from his laboratory window 

 into a courtyard that was remote from any disturbance, 

 he there saw a robin, dragging the apparently dead body 

 of another robin, round and round in a circle, on the paved 

 court. After continuing this strange proceeding several 

 times, the mimic Achilles, with the corpse of the feathered 

 Hector at his heels, stopped suddenly in his circuit round 

 the fancied walls of Troy, and as suddenly threw himself 

 on his back, as if stark dead, with half-distended wings, 

 and rigid, upturned legs. Meanwhile the other robin, 

 the seeming victim of a cruel triumph, woke up to full 

 life, and seizing upon his companion, dragged him, in his 

 turn, repeatedly round and round the mystic circle. The 

 game ended, and both birds flew off together to the 

 neighbouring trees." 



In the same article ( Temple Bar for December 1891, 

 p. 479), we have this droll account in reference to 

 " Otter Slides." 



" These slides were as smooth and slippery as glass, 

 caused by the otters sliding on them in play in the 

 following manner : Several of these amusing creatures 



