fellow to arrive, and when the one in ambush sees the other
coming he springs toward him, as though he were going to destroy him!
And when the two come together, they attempt to seize each other by the
necks, as they would do in a real conflict. A wrestle and tussle ensues
and when utterly exhausted from this play, the tired dogs, like two
fatigued children, run to their homes.

Dogs are fond of playing ball, and will readily bring a ball or stick to
their master when he has thrown it. They will also go into the water to
bring out sticks that may have been tossed in for amusement. Eugene
Zimmerman had a young fox terrier that would set a ball in motion, when
there was no one to pitch it for him, by seizing it in his mouth and
tossing it up in the air. Monkeys and jaguars will also play ball, and
tame bears take great delight in wrestling, playing ball, and fighting
mock battles.

[Illustration: _American Museum of Natural History, New York_

THE MOTHER OPOSSUM IS NEVER HAPPIER THAN WHEN SHE HAS HER LITTLE ONES
PLAYING HIDE-AND-SEEK OVER HER BACK.]

[Illustration: THIS YOUNG FOX CAME FROM HIS HOME IN THE WOODS DAILY TO
PLAY WITH A YOUNG FOX-TERRIER. HE IS NOW RESTING AFTER A ROMP.]

Beckmann wonderfully describes the play of a badger, whose only playmate
was an exceptionally clever dog, who from his earliest youth had been
taught to live with different kinds of animals. "Together they went
through a series of gymnastic exercises on pleasant afternoons, and
their four-footed friends came from far and near to witness the
performance. The essentials of the game were that the badger, roaring
and shaking his head like a wild boar, should charge upon the dog, as
it stood about fifteen paces off, and strike him in the side with its
head; the dog, leaping dexterously entirely over the badger, awaited a
second and third attack, and then made his antagonist chase him all
round the garden. If the badger managed to snap the dog's hindquarters,
an angry tussle ensued, but never resulted in a real fight. If Caspar,
the badger, lost his temper, he drew off without turning round, and got
up snorting and shaking and with bristling hair, and strutted about like
an inflated turkey-cock. After a few moments his hair would smooth down,
and with some head-shaking and good-natured grunts the mad play would
begin again."

Young animals are strikingly like children in their craving for
amusement. A young bear will lie on his back and play