55^ Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology. 



white rat. The Hampton Court maze used in the preliminary rat 

 experiments at the Chicago hiboratory was employed in this test.^^ 

 It was covered with wire netting. The food box was so arranged 

 that the animal could be transferred to the entrance by means of a 

 small control page described above (p. 544). A sliding trap door was 

 inserted in the passageway just in front of the last turn which led to 

 the food box. This was left open during the running of the maze 

 and was closed as soon as the squirrel had entered the food compart- 

 ment. Such precautions were necessary in order to prevent the 

 return of the animal after the nut had been found or when it was 

 desired to remove him from the food box for another trial, or to 

 return him to his cage after the trials of the day had been com- 

 pleted. 



The numerical results of the record are quite similar to the curve 

 given by the learning process of the white rat.^^ The accompanying 

 table and curves show the records made by the two squirrels which 

 learned the maze. 



The process of learning the maze is for these two squirrels similar 

 in all essential particulars to that of the rat. The early trials were 

 characterized by all possible errors and hesitancies. Time and time 

 again the animal would almost make the run perfectly, only to stop 

 at the last runway and return to the starting place. The elimination 

 of errors was fairly gradual with certain persistent errors lasting in 

 both animals until as late as the twentieth trial. 



One point was noticed which seems worthy of mention. The ani- 

 mals, even after having completely learned the maze, were easily 

 disturbed. The slightest movement on the part of the observer, any 

 noise outside of the room, or a bright beam of sunlight on any part 

 of the maze, all must be investigated before the squirrel would con- 

 tinue. The hungriest squirrel could be stopped at any place in the 

 runway and made to turn into a cul-de-sac or to go back to the 

 starting point by moving the finger along the wire netting above 

 him. If the observer happened to appear anywhere within the squir- 



"See Watson, J. B., Kiuaesthetic and Organic Seusatious : their R61e in the 

 Reactions of the White Rat to the Maze, p. 10. 

 "Cf. Watson, op. cU., appendix. 



