202 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



AU agree that it is here that man and the animals stand on common 

 ground. There is scarcely a prominent writer on human psychology 

 who has not treated at greater or less length of the subject of impulse, 

 instinct and habit. However, a great field is yet open notwith- 

 standing all that has been done, including such bold attempts as that 

 of Professor Baldwin and others, to determine the sphere of these fun- 

 damental activities' in the course of organic evolution in general. 



Tihe limitations of this address will not jpermit of extended re- 

 ference to this subject in which some of the best work of the last decade 

 has been done. But at least a word must be said of the investigations 

 of I'rofessor Groos whose books on the play of animals and play in the 

 human being are mines of learning and full of suggestive, highly in- 

 teresting and generally valuable information. Mr. H. E. Marshall has 

 also quite recently devoted an entire work to the subject of " Instinct 

 and Eeason." 



It seems to me that development in this subject has been retarded 

 by an inadequate appreciation of what I conceive to be of the greatest 

 moment: — that the qualifications of the investigator are of quite as 

 much importance as the method, probably a great deal more. Pro- 

 fessor Groos has thus referred to the equipment of the individual who 

 would study animals in one of their aspjccts : " The author of the p6y- 

 chology of animal play should have in reality, not alone two but many 

 souls within his breast." He would have him combine with all the 

 varied ideas and experiences of a man who has traversed the round 

 globe, the special knowledge of the director of a zoological garden, and 

 also that of him who has penetrated the life secrets of the forest, and 

 who can moreover take the ipoint of view of a student of aesthetics. If 

 these are the qualifications for a special investigation of animal play, 

 they are surely not less called for in the other realms of comparative 

 psychology. However, many who are not qualified to do the highest 

 kind of work in this department of investigation, can, if they will, make 

 contributions of accurate observations, but they must be slow to draw 

 conclusions and have a saving modesty which can hardly be claimed 

 as the most distinctive characteristic of the present day investigator, 

 but which so often caused Charles Darwin to pause. 



Tio more than one has it seemed desirable that some correlation 

 between the animal and the human mind should be attempted and this 

 could be best done by comparing the former with the human within a 

 relatively short time after birth. Already a goodly store of material is 

 available) but special child study to this end is one of the needs of the 

 hour. 



