THE PLAY OF ANIMALS. 249 



should indulge in all sorts of capers and dances, and in- 

 stead of the fingering of his beard merely it should rise 

 on end of itself, etc. Since these things do not transpire, 

 we are precluded from drawing any conclusion from 

 human analogy as to the psychological significance of 

 animal courtship. 



In fact, there seems even to be a direct contrast. The 

 youth desirous of showing off his good looks or skill in 

 any art acts voluntarily, he consciously plays a part when 

 that is necessary to his purpose. The animal, on the 

 contrary, acts reflexly, following a blind propensity. His 

 condition of excitation calls into activity certain motor 

 tracks, and the animal obeys the impulse, unconscious 

 that he is making a display of his attractions. 



I have exaggerated this contrast purposely, to prove 

 that such a crude dualistic conception of courtship as ex- 

 hibited by men and animals is too much like the Carte- 

 sian view. But this statement of it requires modification, 

 for, on the one hand, the young man playing the agree- 

 able is not so entirely governed by reason as might ap- 

 pear, for blind propensity has as much to do with his 

 actions as reflective choice has, and, on the other hand, 

 the higher animals, and especially birds, exhibit such a 

 degree of intelligence that I consider it nearer the 

 truth to affirm than to deny a consciousness of self- 

 exhibition in their displays of beauty and dexterity. 

 There is, of course, between affirmation and denial the 

 safe but fruitless position of the sceptic with his doubt- 

 ing shrug, but I think it is more honest to meet the 

 question squarely and lay before the reader sufficient ex- 

 amples to justify an intelligent judgment upon the char- 

 acteristics of a playful act. 



The difficulty of definition is greater here than with 

 other classes of play, for the reason that it is neces- 



