THE PLAY OF ANIMALS. 115 



genuine play. I do not consider this coasting impossi- 

 ble, since the chamois must frequently make their way 

 across snow-fields, and no doubt often slide down unin- 

 tentionally. I have seen a young dog slide all the way 

 across the room with his fore feet in a slipper, using 

 his hind feet as propellers, and all the while snapping 

 and snarling. In such cases accidental movements are 

 made, which may be repeated intentionally later. The 

 following incident, related by Alix, points more directly 

 to this supposition than the account of the coasting 

 chamois: "While manoeuvring in the Alps with a 

 squadron of my regiment, I was botanizing one day in 

 the neighbourhood of Briangon, followed by one of 

 those stray dogs that so frequently attach themselves to 

 moving troops. Just as I was about to begin the descent 

 by the interminable winding path wdiich gives access to 

 the defile, I noticed that the dog, instead of following 

 me, turned toward one of the steep declivities of the 

 mountain side, where there was an accumulation of 

 snow. Being puzzled to understand his behaviour, I 

 stood still and took in every movement of the animal. 

 And I was well rewarded, for by so doing I became wit- 

 ness to a strange spectacle, most wonderful even to the 

 man accustomed to the unlimited resourcefulness of 

 dogs. Placing himself on his back, his paws folded, his 

 head bent forward, the intelligent animal slid down on 

 the snow crust to the very base of the mountain. Ar- 

 rived at the edge of the snow bed, he quietly rose, cast 

 his eye toward me, wagged his tail, and lay down on 

 the grass to wait for me.'' 



Alix supposes the dog to have reasoned that the 

 way could thus be shortened. I consider more probable 

 the rather vulgar explanation that the dog had learned 

 this remarkable trick from rubbing his too populous 



