Cole, Intelligence of Raccoons. 247 



paws, it was easy to finish the ascent by that method. The dis- 

 advantages of these ways of Hfting the lever were, therefore, nearly 

 equal. Can one raccoon be taught to lift the lever with his nose, 

 another with his paws, thus proving that more than one kind of 

 reaction can be taught the animals by putting them through ? 

 And can they be put through the acts enough times to establish 

 the habit in addition to what has been described as an apparent 

 mental effect which is readily forgotten ? 



All the raccoons were first given trials to determine whether 

 they would hit upon the act of raising the lever. All came to 

 the apparatus and watched it closely. Previous experience had 

 aroused their interest. None, however, lifted the lever nor did I 

 expect it, for the animal was free alone in the room, and while 

 all the individuals clawed at colors back of the board none had 

 ever done so in frontof it. 



On May 24, 1906, No. i was put through sixty times by lifting 

 the lever with his nose. He was then given an opportunity to 

 do so unaided. If he failed within approximately thirty seconds, 

 the lever was raised and he was fed. This was done fifteen times. 

 The seventh time he came and looked at the card when it was 

 down, on the ninth and fourteenth he pushed at it with his nose, 

 and on the eleventh with his paws. Although he had not mas- 

 tered the performance he seemed to have made a slight approach 

 toward it. The next day he was put through ninety-five times 

 and succeeded instantly in performing the act on the ninety- 

 sixth. On the ninety-seventh, ninety-eighth, one hundredth, one 

 hundred-seventh and one hundred-tenth trials he failed, but he 

 succeeded in all the other trials between the ninety-sixth and one 

 hundred-tenth (fourteen in all), and always after the one hundred- 

 tenth. On July II, without practice in the meantime, he was per- 

 fect in the performance of the act. No. 3 learned as did No. i, 

 although more slowly. He did not fail after his first success, 

 although at first, for ten trials, he Hfted the lever only halfway up. 

 These ten attempts I rewarded but later he was forced to give the 

 lever a strong toss to get food. In the cases of both No. i and 

 No. 3 the movement they were put through was the one they fol- 

 lowed uniformly. 



On June i, 1906, No. 2 was put through the act of lifting this 

 lever with his paw one hundred times. He then did the act with 

 his paw forty-five times in succession. On June 7, he did it fifty 



