THE PLAY OF ANIMALS (continued). 



THE AUTHOR IN HIS PREFACE SAYS: 



"Animal Psychology is regarded by many, somewhat con- 

 temptuously, as a sort of amusement, from which nothing worth 

 speaking of can be expected for the advancement of our modern 

 science of the mind. I, do not believe this. In the first place, 

 it is quite wrong to judge animal psychology mainly from its 

 value for the interpretation of the mind of man, making second- 

 ary the independent interest to which it lays claim. Yet, apart 

 from this, such a study is valuable to the anthropologist in many 

 ways, though it must be admitted that but little has as yet been 

 accomplished in this direction. Unfortunately, many of the 

 works hitherto published on the subject of Animal Psychology 

 labour under the disadvantage of being strongly biassed, and 

 suffer also from lack of method. 



" There are few scientific works in the field of human play — a 

 fact to be accounted for, probably, by the inherent difliculties of 

 the subject, both objective and subjective. The animal psychol- 

 ogist must harbour in his breast not only two souls, but more : 

 he must unite with a thorough training in physiology, psychol- 

 ogy, and biology, the experience of a traveller, the practical 

 knowledge of the director of a zoological garden, and the outdoor 

 love of a forester ; and even then he could not round up his 

 labours satisfactorily unless he were familiar with the trend of 

 modern sesthetics." 



Professor Groos's book, " TSE PLAY OF ANIMALS," is 

 the first work written exclusively on the subject from these 

 points of view, and will be found of great value scientifically as 

 well as theoretically. The author seeks to establish the concep- 

 tion of play on a basis of natural science ; to develop a system 

 of animal play for the first time on the biological theory as a 

 basis ; to treat of the psychological aspects of play, and to in- 

 vestigate the more subtle psychic phenomenon that is connected 

 with the subject, namely, " make-believe " or " conscious self- 

 illusion." 



Professor Baldwin, who edits this translation of the volume, 

 says : " Professor Groos makes a contribution to three distinct 

 but cognate departments of inquiry : philosophical biology, 

 animal pyschology, and the genetic study of art. Those who 

 have followed the beginnings of inquiry into the nature and 

 functions of play in the animal world and in children will see 

 at once how much light is to be expected from a thorough-going 

 examination of all the facts and observations recorded in the 

 literature of animal life. This sort of examination Professor 

 Groos makes witli great care and thoroughness, and the result 

 is a book which, in my opinion, is destined to have wide influ- 

 ence in all these departments of inquiry. It is a pioneer work, 

 and one of great permanent value. 



CHAPMAN & HALL, Limited, LONDON. 



