THE PLAY OF ANIMALS. 139 



top of the water and seeking momentary respite from 

 its relentless enemies by lifting its unfortunate caudal 

 appendage high above its surface — the peculiar tail of 

 the skate being the object of sport to the porpoises, 

 which seized it in their mouths as a convenient handle 

 whereby to pull the animal about and worry it inces- 

 santly."* 



Birds, too, give vent to the fighting impulse by teas- 

 ing one another. Linden reports a parrot that teased 

 others in a good-natured way, and Humboldt had a 

 toucan which delighted in plaguing a sulky monkey 

 that was very easily provoked. Brehm tells this of the 

 ibis: " Those that I have known lived in comparative 

 peace with all the birds that share their quarters, but 

 assumed a certain authority over the weaker ones and 

 seemed to take pleasure in teasing them. The flamingoes 

 especially they could not let alone, and took the strangest 

 way to torment them. As they were sleeping with 

 head buried in their feathers, the ibis softly stole up and 

 picked at their web feet, with no intention of hurting 

 them, but from pure mischief. "When a flamingo felt 

 this annoying tickling he moved off, gave a startled 

 glance at the ibis, and tried to get another nap, but 

 his tormentor was soon after him and at the old game." 



(b) Tussling among young animals. Before enter- 

 ing fully on this part of my subject I am going to cite 

 a case that is to some degree problematical, to prove 

 that I do not overlook the possibility that fighting 

 play may be entirely due to the preying instinct of 

 a certain class of animals. I refer to the mock battles 

 of ants. Biichner writes: " It is on the gymnastic exer- 

 cises and plays of the Pratensis that Huber founded his 



* Nature, vol. viii, Intellect of Porpoises. 



