Literary Notices. 439 



Porter, James P. A I'reliminary Study of the Psychology of the English 

 Sparrow. Amcr. Jour. Psychology, Vol. XV, pp. 313-346, 1904. 



As the author remarks, the psychology of the sparrow is of special 

 interest because of the remarkable degree of success which this 

 bird has attained in its strugti'le for existence in America. If adapta- 

 bility is taken as a measui-e of intelligence the sparrow certainly ranks 

 well in the psychic scale. 



Porter's preliminary pai)er is characterized by admirable clear-^ 

 ness and accuracy of statement. His experiments are thoroughly sci- 

 entific in plan and execution, and his results, although as yet limited 

 to only one or two individuals, are as valuable as they are interesting. 



The present paper contains observations on general behavior and 

 characteristics, and reports of experiments to test association and per- 

 ception of number, form, color and design. 



The association tests, with food boxes and a maze, indicate that the 

 bird is able to })rofit by experience very rapidly. In fact the habit 

 curve given by the author's tests is strikingly like those of the rat and 

 monkey. The sparrow evidently learns by trial and error ; there is 

 some evidence of imitation, but "no sign of reason or looking ahead 

 and suiting of means to an end." There is notable persistency in the 

 efforts to obtain food, whether it be by opening the door of a food box 

 or finding the way through a maze. Memory appears to be good. 



There is evidence of perception of number similar to that ot 

 monkeys. As the author suggests this may be "sense of position" 

 rather than "sense of number." The few experiments described indi- 

 cate little ability to distingush forms ; but colors and designs were dis- 

 tinguished readily by the single individual tested. 



A comparative study of bird psychology is promised by Porter 

 as a continuation of this preliminary paper. K. m. y. 



UexkiJII, J. V. Studien iiber den Tonus. II. Die Bewegungen der Schlangen 

 Slerne. Zcilsthrift f Biologic. Bd. 46, 190 _|. 



This paper is noteworthy as evidence of the value of kinematograph- 

 ic ])hotography in the study of animal reactions. The author succeeded 

 ill obtaining series of })hotogra})hs of the serpent star lyOpliioglypha lacer- 

 tosa) which show sjjlendidly the manner of locomodon, of turning 

 over, of taking food, of freeing members from encumbrances, etc. 

 One is able to see clearly in these series of pictures the different phases 

 of movement, and to determine precisely what part each member 

 plays in the reaction, as well as the way in which the movements of 

 the parts are coordinated. 



In addition to descriptions of the normal activities of the organ- 



