The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-10
ANIMALS AT PLAY.
Some Peculiar Traits Like Those of
Human Beings

Virginia Horton, in PHILADELPHIA Times.
A beautiful summer day, a charming
garden, in the midst of which CLOVIS in
all its brilliancy beauty, a bed of geran-
iums. This is the scene of the action
Suddenly door in the house is opened.
and with loud clamor Of short, sharp
banks and yelps, half dozen setter pup
pies emerge, bristling over with animal
spirits. a dash and a scramble bring
them up sharply before the wire fence
that surrounds the beautiful flowers. They
know that they have reached forbidden
ground. Is that any reason why they
should halt?
For moment there seemed to be a. con-
ference. then, led by the largest, the pup
pies made dash for the frail wire bar
rier throwing themselves against it with
their united force. But 1t did not yield
This seemed but to encourage them, for
who cares for the prize within easy
reach?
Again and again they try their strength
ana after repeated effort the largest of
them finds himself suddenly rolling over
the bent frame, and into the bed of flow-
ers. For moment he Sits there. stun
ned by the fall awed perhaps by his sue
cess. The next instant a yelp of victory
rises from him, and to the delight of the
puppies outside, mingled with their cha
grin at not participating In the sport. the
victor throws himself into the thickest
part or the bed, and tears and uproots
every flower. Not one remains. All lie
together whiting in the sunshine
There is a book, recently published In
which the author relates the above Incl
dent, as one of many to show how. IN
work and in play. many Of the actions
of animals have a close relationsbit7 70
Things axrfr,
base a like motive,
The wantonness with which the little
boy throws a stone and skaters a pane
of glass is demonstrated every dan, w
call 1t mischief" but rightly directad
II is that which has caused the wonders
or our age. 1t is the minimum of cause
producing the maximum of effect, which
has been to the scientist the lam of
Aladdin. But 1t is the same desire thar
with slight effort, makes the windovv
crash, to the great delight of the bov
or which gave the little puppy the sense
of satisfaction when he Witnessed m.
result of his play"
That animals play and enjoy the use
of many of the faculties thar we ar
prone to appropriate for our own special
use, seems without doubt to be true
They enjoy amusements, exercise. ernuia.
ton, imagination; they take pride in &c
complishments, love beauty and even
have their "hobbies?" You laugh at that:
but have you not a dog? And does ha ,ot
love to collect a lot of old bones ana
hide them away in his bed? That is his
treasures, and let any one but dare am
proach the hiding place, and how he viii
growl and show his teeth; and from he
ing gentle, loving dog, he appears to
the stranger vicious and unkindly
We have all heard accounts of maenies
and crows stealing bright strings of beads
and thimbles and many other glftterins
objects. We cannot doubt that the beaufv
of the brilliant colors or the shining an
pearance pleased their sense of sight
which resulted in the pilferage of the
articles, and the consequent "hobbv" on
collecting and hiding them.
To be amused is one of the first desires
developed IN animals. This seems to be So
we'll understood by the mothers that thew
make it part of their duty to amuse their
young. A ferret does not scorn to play with
her savage little ones any more than a cat
does with her kittens, or a dog with her
puppies. mare will play and caper with
her foal, and lambs will frolic with the
ewes. The COW seems to be too stupid or
torpid to amuse the calves, and the birds
do not seem so much inclined to sport