LABYRINTH HABITS OF THE PIGEON 303 



the proper turns. These conclusions appear to be borne out by 

 the experiments presented above for rotation. Visual cues 

 seem always valuable to the pigeon. In this respect it differs 

 markedly from squirrels and rats. 



Watson'^ has placed on record observations which are con- 

 firmatory of the doubt expressed above. His experiments upon 

 the behavior of the sooty terns in Porter's simple maze give a 

 graph the irregularity of whose latter portion is similar to the 

 curves in the present paper. Watson's comments upon the 

 nature of the curve and upon automatic activity in the terns 

 are well worth quoting here : 



" If the time for idling, which is a characteristic mode of 

 behavior and is not due to a lack of hunger, were taken 

 out the curve as shown above would be much smoother and would 

 lie very much nearer the base line. If the latter part of this 

 curve be compared with the corresponding portion of a similar 

 curve obtained from the rat in learning the Hampton Court 

 Maze'\ its extreme irregularity as compared with the rats' 

 curve will at once be noticeable. The terns never become the 

 automata which the rats become.'" (Italics mine.) 



CONCLUSIONS 



The following conclusions seem warranted by the preceding 

 experiments : 



I. In respect to the rapidity with which maze problems are 

 learned, the pigeon stands on a substantial par with the birds 

 tested by Porter and the sooty terns tested b}^ Watson; but it 

 is superior to the noddy terns studied by the latter writer. The 

 results for squirrels and rats to which reference has been made 

 in the body of this paper indicate that these animals can learn 

 a more complex maze in less time than the pigeon can learn a 

 simpler one. It is evident that the pigeon does not form motor 

 co-ordinations of the type demanded by a maze problem nearly 

 so rapidly as do rodents. This statement does not mean to 

 impugn the pigeon's intelligence! As Watson points out, it is 

 doubtful whether human beings could equal the records made 

 by his rats. What is intended is a specification of the pigeon's 



^* Watson, J. B.: The Behavior of Noddy and Sooty Terns. Carneg. Inst. Piibi, 

 1909, no. 103. 



'" Watson: Kinaesthetic Sensations, p. 100. 



