THE PSYCHIC DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG ANIMALS 205 



not excepting the child. It seemed that the greater 

 the obstacles, the greater the efforts the kitten put forth 

 to overcome them behaviour that we usually consider 

 especially human, and ever an evidence of unusual 

 strength of character. 



That this kitten was not an ordinary one in many 

 respects I am quite prepared to believe, but still the 

 animal was a cat, and a cat only, and that such 

 " character " should have been shown was a surprise to 

 one who has been a long and close observer of animals. 



I have seen something akin to this in that remark- 

 able bird the parrot, but not in a parrot so young as 

 this kitten. 



One of the remarkable features in the whole group 

 of the felidce was illustrated in this kitten, viz. the 

 slowness with which they learn to eat and drink, and 

 the length of time before difficulties are fully over- 

 come. 



A comparison of the kitten's behaviour towards the 

 parrot and the canary furnishes food for reflection, and 

 in this, as in all such cases, all narrow explanations 

 prove inadequate; and while the laws of association 

 etc. may explain much, they do not seem to me to 

 explain all in the case of the lower animals, any more 

 than in the case of the child or the man. 



Conclusions. 



While there can be no doubt that cats are born deaf 

 and blind, the question of smell and taste is more 

 difficult to settle. Up to the third day, and even then, 

 there is no clear evidence of smell and taste, though, on 

 the whole, it would appear that the facts in favour of 

 the existence of smell are more certain than in the case 

 of taste. 



There is evidence, on the 3rd day, of reflex action, 



