CHAPTER XXXV. 



PEACTICAL JOKES. 



CERTAIN animals, including species and genera so different 

 as monkeys, apes, orangs and baboons, the dog, cat, horse, 

 elephant, rabbit and squirrel, the parrot, mocking bird, 

 starling, magpie, and goose, not only perpetrate practical 

 jokes on each other, or on man, but they enter thoroughly 

 into the spirit of the joke or fun : they enjoy, exult in their 

 or its success. 



The motive or object of the joke varies in different cases. 

 It may be dictated simply by a spirit of mischief, or mis- 

 chievousness in young animals ; for instance in monkeys, 

 which are proverbially so given to mere mischief-making, 

 without, in general, any cruel or ulterior object in view, 

 that troublesome children are commonly spoken of by their 

 parents, as e young monkeys,' ' mischievous monkeys,' or 

 'troublesome monkeys.' On the other hand, a practical 

 joke may be the medium of expressing a very refined revenge, 

 of inflicting a very condign punishment. 



There was, for instance, very deliberate malice exhibited 

 by the Rhesus monkey, that plucked alive a crow, and left it 

 to be murdered by its own companions (Cassell). 



Mischievousness or trickiness, including sometimes a de- 

 cided love of, or propensity to, practical joking, is a common 

 attribute of youth, in other animals, as in man. All young 

 animals are naturally fond of fun and frolic ; and their desire 

 for amusement not un frequently gratifies itself at the ex- 

 pense of the feelings of other individuals or species. Even 

 in such cases, however, mischief or tricks, whether or not of 

 the character of practical jokes, are usually innocuous, un- 



