376 Journal of Coiiif'aratii'c Xritrology ami Psyrliol(\s;y. 



authors throw the latter supposition out of court, since one can think 

 of n(» way in whicli the corpuscles can act as lenses. 



Accepting, then, light absorption as the more proliable manner of 

 explanation they bcirin their experiments. As li>,^ht ahsorhinir ele- 

 ments only the red corpuscles come into < onsitleration. I'hese strongly 

 absorb the blue and violet rays in the spectrum. This ex|)lains whv 

 the phenomenon can be best observeti in these lights, but since hae- 

 moglobin also absorbs tl)e yellow green rays considerably one would 

 expect to find the phenomenon visible, at least to S(»me extent, in this 

 light. At first the investigators were unable to do this, but after nu- 

 merous experiments with many light filters composed of different kinds 

 of light absorbing mixtures they were eiuibletl to show that the phe- 

 nomenon is visible in all lights that are absorbed in the spectrum of 

 the haemoglobin. 



The intensive absori)tion of the haemoglobin then for indigo, blue 

 and violet explains in a satisfactory way the appearaiu e of the shadows 

 of the corpuscles in these lights ; it exi)lains why the shadows are so 

 much more intensive in the violet-blue than in the sellow green. ( )n 

 the other haml, the permeability of the haemoglobin tor the cyan-blue, 

 blue-green, red and orage harmonizes (ompletely with the tact that in 

 these lights the swarming of" the ( orpusc les cannot be seen. 



.1. v.. w. 

 Hall, G. Stanley and Theodate L. Smith. K. u limi^ lo 1 ii^lu and Dark 

 iie^-.. Anwrican /oHmal of Psvihologv, \iil. 1^, |>|(. -l-Sj, 140^. 



This report is based on ([uestionnaire returns obtained frtjm twt) 

 normal schools, two colored schools, and one m hool for the blind. 

 White pupils in the fifth grade, from ten to tweh e \ears old, con- 

 tributed also. The ages of the normal students lay mostly between 

 eighteen and twenty-tw(j, while those of the colored students ranged 

 from ten to twenty-eight. The investigation sought to discoser the 

 emotion reactions to darknos, dawn, twilight, artificial light, sudden 

 transitions; and to learn the fane ies ( onnec ted with the sun. darkness, 

 and light. N(» classific ation along lines of age or sex was attempted. 

 As to race differences, the writers stale- that none spec ifi< o< < urred 

 save those direc tl\' referable to degree of educational o|iportunit\ . 



'I'he results of importaiK »• tollow : (1) Longings for dawn occur 

 in 85% of 38(; cases. ln( hided arc about 6^, where a pleasurable 

 event is antii ipated. In the- re^t the character of the longing \aries 

 from mere restlessness to rc;il light hunger. {2) Night fears oc c ur in 

 73/^ cjf 389 cases. In about 1 1 '/ of tiiese the fear is ot darkness 

 itself. In the renuiinder it is of spec ilu li\e objec ts, natural or super 

 natural. 'Ihe most frecpient h-ar is of being seized or grabbed at. .\bout 



