296 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



described later, indicated, he had, to say the least, powers of psychic 

 discrimination of no mean order. 



Observations axd Experiments on the Sea-Gulls. 



It should be noteâ that these birds always remained on the floor 

 of what was practically a big cage, about 6x6x7 feet. One of the birds 

 was considerably larger than the other two, and of him they seemed to 

 be afraid, and with reason, for he was anything but amiable in his 

 behaviour. At the time the experiments to be described were begun 

 the birds had evidently learned to associate food and the large water 

 dish or trough very thoroughly, for as soon as it was placed in the 

 enclosure (cage or pen) they approached, but the larger dominant bird 

 nearly always did so first, and the others seemed to have learned to 

 expect this. 



Experiments based on the approach of other persons than the man 

 that usually fed the birds were negative, i.e., there was no evidence of 

 recognition. 



The trough being removed and emptied was replaced when the 

 birds at once came and looked into it. The trough was then removed 

 and in its place was put an empty metallic water pail of the usual 

 size. The birds approached cautiously and seemed somewhat afraid 

 of it, pecked at it and tried to upset it. After a few moments they 

 looked over the top of the pail. This was then replaced by a smaller 

 pail into which they could see with ease, but with no results appre- 

 ciably difllerent. Food was then put into this vessel, which was filled 

 about two-thirds full of water; on the surface floated bread, while on 

 the bottom was meat completely covijred with bread. xVgain -the birds 

 approached, the large one being as usual in the lead. He pecked at 

 the pail, tried to upset it, then looking into it he suddenly seized a 

 piece of the meat and bolted it, at once withdrawing to some distance. 

 The others, after some little time, came forward, but did not seem 

 inclined to investigate. The pail was now removed, the trough placed 

 in its usual position when the birds at once greedily devoured the meat 

 it contained. 



Five days later the following experiment was made: A dark 

 coloured enamelled dish was partly filled with water and in it were 

 placed bread and meat, the latter being in the centre and covered with 

 paper of a light yellow colour, the bread filling in all the rest of the 

 space. The leader approached cautiously (or timidly?) and then 

 stepped backward, at the same time keeping his fellows away. He 

 seemed to be looking for something he did not find. Presently he took 



