THE PLAY OF ANIMALS. 149 



ing as we have been considering ever occurs during the 

 breeding season. The contest for the possession of a 

 female is usually a serious matter, often a life-and-death 

 struggle, and yet may there not be some fighting con- 

 nected with this period that is playful? Here, as in 

 most questions of animal psychology, absolute certainty 

 is unattainable, but we may inquire into the probabili- 

 ties, and it seems to me not impossible that contests 

 playful in character may take place even during court- 

 ship. Perhaps I may be allowed a human instance. 

 The belligerent spirit of young peasants is certainly of 

 this nature, little as the brawlers are conscious of it. 

 And however serious the fights that arise on Sundays 

 and holidays, they impress us as at bottom playful, for 

 neither combatant wishes actually to injure the other, 

 but rather to prove his own superiority, though this 

 may involve a desperate struggle. The fencing of stu- 

 dents, too, although often resulting in injuries that 

 would be dangerous without the immediate service of 

 a surgeon, are yet avowedly for sport. It occasionally 

 happens that a desire for revenge leads to the inflicting 

 of intentional and serious injury, but as a general thing 

 it is all for practice in acquiring skill and courage for 

 use in more serious circumstances. It may be the same 

 with animals. Even when they have overstepped the 

 bounds of the friendly tussling that we have been con- 

 sidering, and the contestants are angry and really try- 

 ing to hurt one another, still there may be something 

 of the temper of play. I do not assert that this is often 

 the case, but I may give a couple of examples that at least 

 give colour to the idea. We often see grown dogs chase 

 each other with loud cries without coming to a fight at 

 all, and this before the very eyes of the object of their 

 rivalry. Wliile snappish dogs bite one another sharply. 



