THE PLAY OF ANIMALS 221 



are in their essence instinctive. These play-instincts arose 

 like other innate idiosyncrasies (by germinal variation), 

 and they have been gradually established and strengthened 

 by the consistent elimination of the bad players (in sub- 

 sequent life-struggle). 



But why should there be elimination of the bad 

 players ? Because play is justified in the business of life 

 in at least two ways ; firstly, because it is the apprentice- 

 ship to future work, the training for serious efforts, the 

 rehearsal before the real performance ; and, secondly, 

 because intellectual development probably flourishes 

 better in proportion as the brain is freed from the necessity 

 of bearing with it the hereditary mechanism for the perfect 

 performance of certain activities. If play can perfect any 

 instinctive activity before failure is vital, the weight of 

 a stereotyped inheritance is lessened. 



But we may go a step further. Play is more than the 

 apprenticeship, the rehearsal, introductory to future life 

 and work. It is more than a means whereby the brain 

 may be freed from some of its hereditary burden, and thus 

 left more " educable." It is one of the few opportunities 

 which afford free scope for variations without too rigorous 

 selection. This is of very great importance as regards the 

 practical outlook of man, and perhaps also as regards art, 

 and we need hardly say that it has been an important 

 factor in the intellectual evolution of animals. In the 

 real business of life, most initiatives " new departures," 

 " idiosyncrasies," " variations " are subject to rigorous 

 selection, which often nips them in the bud. Play is 

 Nature's device for granting temporary elbow-room for 

 variations, some of which may form part of the raw 

 materials of progress. 



There seem to be two fundamental and primitive 

 forms of animal play the play of movement, and the 



