HABIT FORMATION IN THE DOG 77 



over the north side of the box, walking around it, barking all 

 the while. Dog i required several hours for opening the box 

 the first time. A period of work, which never lasted over ninety 

 seconds, and which averaged near fifteen, would be followed 

 by a prolonged rest. This is characteristic of all my animals' 

 reaction to a new box. After an animal had opened the box 

 once or twice in the new position, the time necessary for open- 

 ing was quickly shortened and the principal errors made there- 

 after were those of hesitation or attack at the northwest corner. 



Dog 5 surprised the members of the laboratory who ven- 

 tured to predict his behavior when the box was first turned 

 90°. The writer expected him to "hunt for the latch." He 

 showed fully as much disturbance as either blind dog. When 

 first admitted to the experiment room he went directly to the 

 northwest corner, scratched violently at the wire over the whole 

 north side, dragged the box, which was heavily weighted, some 

 five inches with his teeth, climbed on top of the box, then lay 

 down to rest after eighty-five seconds of work. He opened 

 the box at the second attack, after accidentally touching the 

 latch with his head. I wish to stress one feature of his beha- 

 vior. Several times during his periods of effort his head and 

 nose came within an inch of the projecting (lift) latch bar. His 

 actions were not affected in the least by proximity to the latch 

 until he actually touched the latch. Then, in less time than is 

 necessary for working a stop-watch lever, he or ented himself 

 to the latch and opened the door by a single movement. 



Much less disturbance was shown when the box was turned 

 another 90°. The animals went to the southeast corner after 

 only a few seconds of effort at the northeast corner. At this 

 point the first difference in method appeared. Dogs 2 and 3 

 never changed their customary pathway. They continued to 

 pass to the southeast corner by way of the northwest and north- 

 east corners. Dog 5 went directly to the southeast corner after 

 the seventh trial. 



When the box was turned another 90° farther, making the 

 latch corner southwest, Dog 5 went first to the southeast corner 

 and paused long enough to give only one scratch, then hastened 

 to the southwest corner, to which in subsequent trials he went 

 directly. His errors were those of passing too far to the north 

 before orienting himself to the latch, and attacking the latch 



