304 ALDA GRACE BARBER 



zation was the next problem (control IV.) The stimulus was 

 given by striking a tuning fork of 256 d. v., attached to its 

 resonance box. The open end of the resonator was held at the 

 given section of the apparatus box. Accuracy averages for this 

 stimulus are given in table IV. The negative results indicate 



* 



TABLE IV. 



that the mere presence of a given pitch was not guiding the 

 reactions. But more than this, it would seem either that the 

 animals are unable to localize pure tone or that they are deaf 

 (absolutely or relatively) to the one here employed under the 

 present experimental conditions. In the light of Prof. Hunter's 

 tests, the latter alternative is undoubtedly the correct one. 8 It 

 is important to note here that a response of some accuracy, 

 i. e., standing up at some point along the side of the box, was 

 made by the rats throughout the experimentation regardless 

 of the nature of the stimulus. Thus our method is not crucial 

 on cases of mere sensitivity because results are stated solely 

 in terms of accuracy. Inasmuch as the rats had been taught 

 that food was over the side of the box, they could not be expected 

 to remain inactive for any considerable interval of time; and, 

 in fact, they went from one section of the box to another, stand- 

 ing up each time. A trial was not considered complete until 

 the rat had stood up in such a manner. 



The most significant data are derived from an observation 

 of the animals' general behavior during the stimulation. Quick- 

 ness of response, alertness, head-turnings for localization are 

 all present when the standard stimulus are given. No attention 

 was paid to the stimulus in control IV. The animals wandered 

 indifferently about the box exactly as they always did between 

 the regular tests. Several times the animals jumped when the 

 fork was struck; however, there were no indications of an effort 



8 Hunter, Walter S. The Auditory Sensitivity of the White Rat. Jour. Animal 

 Behav., vol. 4, No. 3, 1914. 



