New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-23
GAMES OF ANIMALS.
Not Unlike Those of Men and
Boys.
BY 7. G. Bridges.

N-t44CA pay WIN Toys, inanrnate objects OF
KIND or other. or else with another Animals do
the same. Their games are. OF course. not very
advanced They make practically no demands upon
intellectual powers. but only upon bodily activity
In fact they closely correspond with the plays Of
very young children.
There is nothing that a plurnp healthy vounestsr
OF toddling age enjoys more than roll down
grassy bank or the soft side OF a haycock We
md more than one Wild animal which practises and
enjoys a sliding play. Offers 90 IN for regular
tobogganing. First choosing a steep sloping river
bank where the soil IS OF clay and the water at
me bottom fairly deep, they set 10 work and care
I1IIy remove all the sticks and loose stones which
might get in their way, and then the fun begins.
climbing up the bank at some SPOT where It IS not
100 steep. the first otter goes the head OF the
Slide lies down fiat his stomach gives kick
Win MS hind legs and down he glides. head fore
most, into the water. The second follows his lead
ers example. and then the third, rapidly as they
can The bank soon becomes smooth and slippery.
and the faster they travel the the offers enjoy
it. They keep and on until quite tired out. and
will come back TO the same spot day after day to
renew their game. So common is this practice
the part OF offers that the relentless trapper long
ago came TO know ii we'll and makes practice OF
setting his trap just where the poor little beasts
leave the water 70 climb afresh for another slide.
and hardly ever fails 20 the leader. generally
the old dog otter.
With offers this tobogganing Is not merely q
summer pastime In winter they have the same
amusement, the only difference being that they
choose a snow bank instead OF mud
Brehm. the German naturalist has recorded
exactly similar game played by chamois in the
Alps. In summer channels climb 10 the upper
heights and there IN the midst OF the sOitudes OF
perpetual snow, enjoy themselves vastly. leaping
from rock to rock. and often playing game very
like folOw-my-eader. But the most curious part
of their fun is their tobogganing. They choose
steep. snow covered slope; the leader throws HIM
self into sort Of crouching position, and. working
his legs as though he were swimming, slides down
for distance OF a hundred yards or more. Ar
rived at the bottom, he springs 10 his feet and
climbs up again. The others look on. and then an
other OF them makes trial OF the slide. The rest
follow one By one
II may be objected that channels have adopted
this method OF travelling down a slope simply
because il the easiest and most convenient but
surely the fact that the same animals have been
seen 70 make the experiment several times over on
the same slide is certain proof that the tobogganing
is genuine play and nothing else.
There are many instances on record Of dogs hav-
ing taken 20 coastng down snow slopes. But the
dog is a domestic animal and a marvenOusly ini-
tative one. SO for the purpose Of proving animal
play he must in this case be put out Of court.
Humboldt speaks OF having young capu-
chin monkey riding pig. The monkey would wait
about in the morning until he could catch a pig.
spring on its back and ride of with every symptom
Of delight. clnging tightly that poor piggy do
what he might could not free himself of his
cumbrance. once he had secured mount. nothing
W6en re- Nc Nc IN 70 slv1 II ~ zen
me IeInur IS not a monkey, but very near rela-
tive white fronted lemur belonging to Broderlip.
the naturalist. used 20 have tremendous games
er van zane sd oeayer named Bnny Macy as the
touching his great fiat tail with finger and
Least WINE me beaver, with eIephantne playful
ness, would charge Macky with all his might. but
one day the two were left alone together. In tho
room was a linen press. and some careless person
beaver was found snoring happily on a comfortable
While close beside HIM his he sfeI p T on the
beavers scat fur, lay Macky, also sound asleep
The little creature formed a hrm alliance with a
black kitten, and the games those two had beggar
mel and pile Of barrels was the cOmnonest play.
one another's movements just as well any two
pussy ran on to d sprlngb0ard which stretched out
over over a pond and fell in What did the coon do
INTENT 81 rescue and In any case the cat was
fast swimmers. But IL odd thing to see.
Late IN the summer or In early autumn the squir-
choose heechwood for their antics. and it IS one
Of the pretttest sights i'm the world 10 watch them
slightest attention to YOU. Their principal game
corkscrtW iashon- me leader VIII the4 dash out
70 the tip Of a thin branch and leap thence into
ing all the time with sheer delight It IS. in fact.
regular follow nly-leader game.
tons tame long-tailed monkey that was devoted
70 swinging. lie would nook ms chaln over
pleasure. He knew exactly how much line was
made a mistake in letting out exactly the right
Almost all young animals play. 1t IS one OF tho
most charming sights imaginable TO watch fox cubs
summer evening They NOT only roll and gamboi
like kittens puppies but they have also a game
The young OF an the cat tribe including Hons
ana tigers, are naturally playful Even such
enjoy games in their early youth.
badgers nave a peculiar play They seem 70
enjoy turning sOmerstults The young badgers in
the Geological Gardens amuse visitors by turning
somersaults scores OF times in succession on the
same spot.
bears do the same thing. and not only young
bears but old ones also. The natives OF Kan
chatka have dance which they call the bear
dance. Every gesture IS copied accurately from
proud of the fact that the bears are their dancing
Dancing is by no means confined TO quadrupeds;
n fact II IS the PRINCIPAL play OF many birds.
American cock o the rock These birds have
Tes dancing PasT n stones sTTl spots oz %C4 Thgg
Of the birds assemble round this spot. and then
centre Spreading his wings and tail ne begins to
dance. at FIRST with slow and stately steps. then
ming like a mad thing At last tired out. ne sinks
down. hops out Of the ring. and another takes his
some Of the quail tribe are great dancers and
iudicrous sight to watch a crane dancing: he is
so desperately solemn over the whole performance.
II" LOOKS Hike q S-S louI9 man VIC nus just
learned 10 waltz and IS rather ashamed of the
cOmplishmeut
So much Tor games without toys. But many wild
creatures get "a great deal Of amusement out OF
various fnanimate objects. The kitten plays with
"a ball OF worsted and every one knows the dog
that possesses pet bore. some dry ana sruboy
relic which Is not the least food, but which
the animal throws about and catches again by the
hour. and when finished with buries in some Sc
c!uded corner against another day.
Beckuaun gives delightful account OF a raccoon
which used TO amuse itself by washing various
odds and ends ~ a bucket Of water. An old pot
handle q snail shell or anything OF the sort would
DO but what he lov6G best OF all was an empty