THE TRANSITION IN THE INDIVIDUAL, 221 



in its earliest stages, and onwards through a considerable part 

 of its history, it is precisely identical with the corresponding 

 phases of indicative sign-making in the lower animals. Thus, 

 for instance, Professor Preyer observed that at sixteen months 

 his own child — who at thnt age could not speak a word — used 

 to make a gesture significant of petitioning with its hands 

 ("Bittbewegung"), as indicative of desire for something to be 

 done. This, of course, I choose as an instance of indicative 

 sign-making at a comparatively high level of development ; 

 but it is precisely paralleled by an intelligent dog which 

 " begs" before a water-jug to signify his desire for a drink, or 

 before any other object m connection with which he desires 

 something to be done.* And so it is with children who pull 

 one's dress towards a closed door through which they wish to 

 pass, significantly cry for what they want to possess, or to 

 have done for them, &c. : children are here doing exactly 

 what cats and dogs will do under similar circumstances.*!* 

 And although many of the gesture-signs of children at this 

 age {i.e. up to about eighteen months) are not precisely 

 paralleled by those of the lower animals, it is easy to see that 

 where there is any difference it is due to different circum- 

 stances of bodily shape, social conditions, &c. : it is not due 

 to any difference of ideation. That the kind of ideation which 

 is expressed by the indicative gestures of young children is the 

 same as that which prompts the analogous gestures of brutes, 

 is further shown by the fact that, even before any articulate 

 words are uttered, the infant (like the animal) will display an 

 understanding of many articulate words when uttered in its 

 presence, and (also like the animal) will respond to such 

 words by appropriate gestures. For instance, again to quote 

 Preyer, he found that his hitherto speechless infant was able 

 correctly to point to certain colours which he named ; and 



• I have seen a terrier of my own (who habitually employed this gesture-sign 

 in the same way as Preyer's child, namely, as expressive of desire), assiduously 

 though fruitlessly "beg" before a refractory bitch. 



t Many dogs will bignilicantly bark, and cats significantly mew, for things 

 which they desire to possess or to be done. For significant crying by children, sec 

 above, p. 158. 



