44 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



an opening from the chamber under the lurnace to the cellar. 

 This failed, probably because the kitten was unable to make a 

 jump of about eighteen inches from the chamber to the open- 

 ing into the cellar. 



This latter opening was then closed so that the old cat would 

 be forced to remain, and possibly nurse the kitten, which she 

 refused to do, but jumped to the top of the screen and then 

 out. The kitten attempted to follow her, climbed to the top of 

 the screen, but could not jump the rest of the way. 



Another screen was now placed on top of the first one so 

 that the two together reached the top of the liue. The kit- 

 ten very soon climbed nearly to the top, but was frightened and 

 dropped down. She tried again and again and finally succeeded 

 inmaking her escape. Now, although a careful watch had been 

 kept she had not been seen to attempt to climb the first screen 

 during the day and a half that it was in the flue before the 

 mother was put in. 



It might be thought that the kitten followed the mother by 

 scent. But the mother Itad not climbed the upper screen at all! 

 Neither did the kitten follow by sight, as it was several 

 minutes after the escape of the mother that the second screen 

 was introduced. 



This appears to me to be as clear a case of imitation as 

 could be conceived of, and I believe that anyone who has not 

 prejudged the case will so regard it. 



That Dr. Thorndyke has taken the position of an attorney 

 for the prosecution of animals on the charge of being without 

 mentality, is demonstrated by his treatment of the answers to 

 a set of questions x>ropounded to a number of professional 

 animal trainers, five of whom, trainers of acknowledged repu- 

 tation, responded. Four of the five believed that animals 

 would learn through imitation, and one did not. This evidence 

 not being to the liking of our author, was put out of court in 

 the following language: "I cannot find that trainers make 

 any pract cal use of imitation in teaching animals tricks*, and 

 on the whole I think these replies leave the matter just where 

 it was before. They are mere opinions — not records of 

 observed facts. " (Page 64.) 



* See " The Nature of Animal Intelligence and the Methods of Investing It." 

 Psychological R'^view, May, 1899, pp. 368-9, for Prof. Wesley Mills' discussion of this 

 point. 



