THE PLAY OF ANIMALS. 145 



universally indulge in vigorous mock contests, are es- 

 pecially passionate and pugnacious during their court- 

 ship. 



Finally, we will take a few examples from the birds. 

 Water-wagtails chase and bite each other, apparently 

 in play, as is seen " most commonly late in summer 

 among young birds." * Young house and field sparrows 

 peck one another soundly while they are carrying on 

 their courtship plays, as do the nuthatch, starling, wood 

 lark, water-wagtail, and goldfinch. Young partridges 

 stands with wings wide spread and fight as hotly as if 

 they were already contesting for a lady love.f 



(c) Playful fighting between adult animals. Many 

 a grown animal still takes pleasure in the mock com- 

 bats that he learned in youth, and it is unnecessary to 

 dilate on the usefulness of such sportive measuring of 

 strength in keeping him fit for actual warfare. From a 

 psychological point of view, however, this phenomenon 

 is especially noteworthy from the fact that the adult 

 animal, though already well acquainted with real fight- 

 ing, still knows how to keep within the bounds of play, 

 and must therefore be consciously playing a role, mak- 

 ing believe. This can hardly be denied, I think, in 

 some of the following cases. 



Finsch says that seals make so much commotion in 

 the water while playing that they appear to be fighting 

 angrily, ' though it is really all frolic, just as the biting 

 is in which they indulge on land. Two of them open 

 their powerful jaws, angrily howling in a fearful way, 

 as though a serious combat were about to take place, but 

 instead they lie down peacefully side by side, and per- 

 haps begin mutual lickings." 



* Naumann, iii, p. 814. 



f Chr. L. Brehm, Beitrage zur VSgelkunde, ii, p. 748. 



