492 GEETRUDE MAREAN WHITE 



a box into the sun through an opening. According to Churchill 

 ('16), goldfish are able to 'learn a maze' consisting of two par- 

 titions placed at intervals across a vessel a short distance from 

 each other. The fishes were placed in a compartment at one 

 end and were obliged to pass through holes in the two partitions 

 in order to reach the opposite end of the aquarium where food 

 was located. The habit proved to be fairly well established, 

 for, after thirteen days' lapse, the fishes were able to follow the 

 route correctly. 



In the present experiments sticklebacks showed no disposition 

 to lessen the time of passing through a triangular opening at the 

 bottom of a glass partition when food was dropped on the other 

 side, but simply darted against the glass until they chanced to 

 hit the opening and swim through. The experiment continued 

 thirty-four days, two fishes being used. The trials were carefully 

 timed with a stop-watch, and no improvement or lessening of the 

 time was noted. 



Permanence of associations 



The results of the experiments described have some bearing 

 on the permanence of associations. Mudminnow no. 55 showed 

 the influence of previous training by red and green filters forty- 

 two days after the first series of experiments had ceased. Dur- 

 ing the color tests perfect records of ten or more consecutive days 

 were frequently shown, while in one instance a fish made no 

 mistakes during fifteen days and in another instance during 

 sixteen days. Discontinuing an experiment for a day or two 

 after an association was fairly well established never seemed to 

 dull the impression received. When trained to spring out of 

 water after food, the fishes repeated the action indefinitely as 

 long as food could be procured in that manner and almost com- 

 pletely ignored bits of food dropped into the water. 



Modification of associations 



Associations once established persisted in a rather stereotyped 

 fashion. After being accustomed to take food in light of a certain 



