288 NATURE STUDY REVIEW [8 :8— Nov., 1912 



cially the kindergarten. This experiment does not bear out that 

 opinion. The fact is that the younger the child, the greater has 

 been the preference for the engine. 



Test B. 



The tables of frequency show at once that the bird is pre- 

 eminently preferred in all schools in all grades by both boys 

 and girls without any marked variation from kindergarten to 

 grade 3. There is not much variation in the preference for 

 the plant, with a slight rise in grade 1 ; the main difference is 

 that between boys and girls. There is very little variation in pref- 

 erence for the magnet from the kindergarten to grade 3, the 

 greatest difference being that between boys and girls. 



The results obtained from the total number of questions asked 

 and the number of children that ask the questions, show that 

 the interest in the bird exceeds that in the plant and the magnet 

 for boys and girls of all grades. The number of questions per- 

 taining to the magnet exceeds the number regarding the plant 

 for boys in the kindergarten and grade 1, and for girls in the 

 kindergarten ; questions pertaining to the plant exceed in number 

 those regarding the magnet in grades 1, 2 and 3 for girls. 



Summary. 



Summarizing the results obtained from the point of view 

 of relative preferences, the number of questions asked and the 

 number of children that ask the questions, these all show that 

 the bird takes a predominant position in point of interest for all 

 grades for boys and girls ; the totals for boys and girls show that 

 the interest in the plant exceeds that of the magnet in grades 

 1, 2 and 3, with a rise in grade 1 ; and the interest in the magnet 

 slightly exceeds that of the plant in the kindergarten. 



General Summary. 



Stating briefly the results obtained in Tests A and B, the 

 interest in the bird is paramount in all grades ; the interest in the 

 cat reaches its culmination in grade 3 ; the interest in the plant 

 exceeds that in the cat in grade 1 ; the climax of interest in the 

 engine is in the kindergarten ; the order of interest for boys 

 seems to be animal life, physical material, plant life ; and for 

 girls, animal life, plant life, physical nature material. 



The Reasons for Preferences. 



It was found that the cardinal factors for determining the 



