New-York tribune., 1896-11-01
THE SPORTS OF YOUNG ANTNdLE
THEY MEAN STERN UTILITARIANIsv

From the Saturday Review
We are all familiar with the babbng pleas,,x
accounts OF how animals make their little beds
and perform thousand agreeable antics so tfst
gosslpy copy may be found for family msss.
t ahes learned German professor OF philosophy
Young annaIs reaeco%s @ ioSsi ins %
sysn oook b he is not the rst philosopher who has
system. Schiller and Herbert Spencer, to omit
many I n o5hers i 20 whom our professor does fun jus
time OF frolic because in youth more nervous
the requirements of sober. decorous life. The
overflow OF superabundant energy expressed ITSELF
bound TO provide an explanation The new author.
, Y9h Is be bheady 10 admit the redundant energy Of
into the nature of things If one set ouf for CON-
sttutionai and return painting and exhausted It Is
one set out II nU pTnp snn for which
tall' until it lie. the mere wreck of puppy gasp
the business than an outflow OF superintendent
energy. The business goes not only till the ex.
off Put Shortly the heoTy is as thar neeh sh WORKED sasa
OF ,l, animals are preparation for after-fe. The
play that they may be ready for the sterner pur.
poses Of adult life II is an extension to creatures
loo was won in the playing fields Of Eton
On me o!d theory animals played because they wers
young on the new theory animals must have period
OF careless youth in order that they may play And
thus the familiar distinction. true in broad sense
atnoush impossible 10 apply universally. between in.
stincts as needing practice and ntel.isent habit
as requiring practice gains meaning The In.
youth must he complete and ready for immediate u.s..
A moth or butterfly. for instance. emerges from the
caterpillar SO far as habits are concerned bears no
reaon TO the adult life, and as il has dried
us wings II must set about the exact iures OF matur-
ny II must hy. choose rs mate. recognize the food
pants FOR Itself & or upon which 70 lay It's eggs ir-
stimulus To these duties is Unborn. imperative and
needing no practice. and is TO be regarded insnc.
bird however passes through period Of yonti
during which 1t has immediate duties 10 perfoyr,
With its instincts r 10 M or 1 70 t's run ine snd i n p1
10 2 recognize, lis kind 10 Distinguish between ~
cal-notes or cries of alarm; In a thousand ways to
suit each occasion with is action and deserve place
The professor has cuied from every availabl,
source records OF the sports OF young animals. and
has subjected them TO rigid analysis. lie rnds il
them all stern uillitarianism. definite relation
10 the future advantage. of the animal Games ana
IN the young % al! TIE higher animals are OF the
and Curiosity. Young creatures play win every
thing that attracts their attention They try their
teeth or their claws on every available object: Tny
taste and smell push and tumble about. collect 4
heaps or scatter everything they are able 10 reaci.
and. indeed, make attempts on the unattanabh
The greater the intelligence OF the adult animal s
more surprisingly the young animal treats It's SUI
roundngs in the spirit OF an empirical ph.osopne,
Professor Romanes. discovered for itself THAI IN.
It succeeded in unscrewing the handle with ease
ami after long experiments discovered that only one
end twisted in particular direction. would If ing
the socket Another young monkey. chained jus:
bevond reach of fire found out now 10 tear strips
from /, newspaper and ro. them up into taperSs
sufficiently long 10 reach the flames BY some susn
fertile employment Of curiosity the professor tnlhks
that the ancestor Of man may have gained the"
mastery over IRE. -. - .,,s
What may be called the athletic sports OF yomnns yin
animals are a direct training for their future NJ
Flying for instance. Is rs unnatural 70 ySahhs Shs
bird as walking Is 10 child. and chick ana DAY, I
alike attain their adult mode OF locorlo,ion onu
after they have triumphed over the crawling stan,'
bv continuous experimental practice. Tne e we.
known South American stink-pheasant topis,t,c.
comus cristatus) when II Is chick mas cIaws ass
upon the wings and uses its wings ana legs ase
I'm the fashion OF a tree-liZard In mammals '.s ~
exercises of the young bear definite reiation
adult habit. Mountain-living creatures, IKE hu'
and chamos. continually practise standing Jumlts;
springing vertically In the air in fashion .,rs ,
seems irresistibly comical in the zooogicai gu,
,eus (iazelles. the other hand. which IN aaua.
life have to Jump watercOurses ana Cullles OH -
ycdt corfne their youthful enthusiasm 10 pric,.. ,.
OF the running jump. Similarly the play OF ur us,'
cubs with balls with the tail OF their mo,hv.::
and the wrestling and mimic combats on oti.s w.
by which the restless zeal of youth Is dsSip'e sse
for the real purposes of maturity sun 10 ,aieo r.
number of sports and pas,imes. diiferent III ,hs ,
sexes arc preparation for courtshp or 10, to,.,a. .
rearing Of young The special nstinct OF I'M iii'oS -
ton dominates all the other directing agenc.ss ~
youth and young animals learn great par, "A n
their future duties from their payfeho"s '~
parentS.