[MILLS] PSYCHIC DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG ANIMALS 219 
was some evidence—or even on the first day—but I am of opinion that 
before at least a few days after birth smell is so feebly developed if at all 
that one could not demonstrate its existence to an unbiassed observer. TI 
refer now not to the effect of irritating volatile liquids but to the ability 
to smell food. 
The mongrel showed signs of disgust with aloes and a positive liking 
for sugar as early as the 2nd day. I could not establish this for the 
pure-bred dogs for some days later. 
It is noteworthy that on the 3rd day the mongrel sucks one’s finger 
more readily than a piece of meat, 
Though dogs are carnivorous animals before a certain period in their 
development they are no more excited by meat than any object whatever, 
showing in the clearest way that there is an order in psychic as in physi- 
cal development. 
Owing to absence from home when the mongrels were passing from 
the 11th to 18th day [ am unable to make any accurate comparison in 
this case as to the beginnings of vision and hearing. 
In both the mongrel and the pure-bred dogs the winking reflex is 
very slowly developed and long remains feeble 7.e., is excited with diffi- 
culty. 
Certain considerations must be borne in mind in attempting to com- 
pare the mongrel puppy and the St. Bernards. The latter I consider an 
unusually active litter, while the mongrel for a considerable period 
seemed to me more than usually vegetative. Moreover, while there were 
always at least four St. Bernards together, this mongrel was the only one 
of this litter after about the 20th day. 
One of the features of development greatly impressed on my mind 
by thexe comparisons, not to mention many other similar ones, was the 
influence of one on another in all the lines of development. This was 
shown both negatively and positively in the case of the mongrel. After 
he began to mingle with the older dogs his progress was marvellous. 
He seemed in a few days to overtake himself so to speak and his advance- 
ment was literally by leaps and bounds. It is very difficult to give an 
adequate idea of this feature of the mongrel’s history in a diary, but I 
wish to note it specially because it seems to me to show that while educa-. 
tion in the wider signification of that word may in a sense account for 
development, it is equally true that the real nature of any animal will in 
the main assert itself sooner or later however unfavourable the early 
environment. In other words heredity is, was and ever will be stronger 
than environment. 
One may safely say that in all kinds of dogs the perception of light 
and shadows precedes the seeing of objects and that the latter is compar- 
atively slowly developed. 
