Experiments in Judging the Direction of 
Sound.” 
BY L. D. IKENBERRY AND C. E. SHUTT. 
The experiments herein described were made for the purpose 
of determining the accuracy with which the direction of a sound 
can be determined. 
A circle ten feet in diameter was drawn on the floor of a large 
room. From one end of a diameter marked zero, the right and 
left semi-circumferences of the circle were marked off into fifty 
equal parts. The subject was seated in the center of the circle 
facing the zero point. Besides being blindfolded, his head was 
bound to a support on the back of the chair in order to keep him 
from turning it during the experiments. Sounds were produced 
directly over certain points in the circle on a level with the sub- 
ject’s head. Immediately after the production of each sound the 
subject named the point in the circle over which he judged it to be 
located. No regular order was observed in selecting the points for 
producing the sounds. 
The instruments used in making the sounds were a telegraph 
snapper and acommon harmonicon. The telegraph snapper was 
used to make a sharp, piercing noise and the harmonicon to pro- 
duce a smooth tone. Two sets of readings were taken with each 
instrument. In the first set both ears were open, but in the second 
his left ear was effectually closed. 
Efficient means were employed whereby the subjects were made 
wholly dependent upon the sound itself in locating it. Ten per- 
sons were tested. Both sexes were included in the number. 
In table I are given the judgments. The figures at the head of 
the columns indicate the points in their respective semi-circles 
over which the sounds were made. The other figures show where 
the subjects thought they were located. The letters on the first 
column represent the subjects. At the foot of each column are 
*Read before the Kansas Academy of Science, at its annual session, Oct. 20, 1897. 
(9) KAN. UNIV. QUAR., VOL. VII, NO. 1, JAN., 1898, SERIES A. 
