THE PLAY OF ANIMALS. 



I will cite only a few cases, selecting those in which 

 the motions seem to me of an unmistakably exciting 

 nature.* 



First I may notice the crane, which is one of the 

 most intelligent of birds, for in its actions we can see 

 clearly how genuine courtship may become playful. 



To corroborate my statement about the intelligence 

 of cranes I give this description : " Herr von Seiff ertitz 

 had a crane that he captured when young and downy. 

 He was allowed the freedom of the premises, and when 

 he was a year old followed his master for long walks, 

 separated quarrelling animals, went to pasture with the 

 herds, drove in young cattle that strayed, turned away 

 beggars, and quieted restive horses. When he was hun- 

 gry he went to the window and called, and if his water 

 was not fresh he threw it out and called for more. He 

 had a special liking for the bull, visited him in his stall, 

 kept flies off him, answered when he lowed, and accompa- 

 nied him to the meadow, dancing about him at a pru- 

 dent distance, and stopping now and then to make 

 ridiculous bows. If his master scolded him, the crane 

 stood in the most dejected attitude, with his head 

 bowed down to the ground." f That an animal of such 

 intelligence should dance purely to amuse himself is 

 not at all surprising. Brehm says: " The crane de- 

 lights, when in the mood for it, in vigorous leaps, excited 



* A third kind of movement play would be the skilled swim- 

 ming of aquatic birds, but of this I know but one example in 

 literature. Female wild ducks, just before pairing, swim around 

 their mates, nodding their heads and quacking loudly (Naumann, 

 Naturgeschichte der Vogel Deutschlands, xi, p. 600). I have also 

 seen a pair of swans sporting. They would dip their heads deep 

 down in the water together, and when they drew them up the neck 

 of one would often be lying across that of the other. 



f Lenz, Gemeinnutzige Naturgeschichte, ii, p. 312. 



