244 THE INTELLIGENCE OF MAMMALS 



that was formed. Apparently the thought of being in the 

 box made the raccoons go in. 



Cole found that the raccoons were aided in learning the 

 mechanism of escape from the box if they were put through 

 the appropriate movements. Not only was the average 

 time required for such animals to escape from the box short- 

 ened as compared with the time required by the individuals 

 which were unaided, but several animals which failed entirely 

 to make their escape succeeded in getting out after having 

 been several times put through the act. This result may 

 be indicative of the existence of ideas, but not entirely con- 

 clusive, as it might be explained possibly as the result of the 

 animal's attention having been limited to a certain part of 

 the box. This might direct his efforts toward the spot 

 where he would be more likely to hit upon the fortunate 

 movement. Raccoons which had come to climb upon a 

 box and enter through a hole in the top after having several 

 times dropped through the hole would dodge in through the 

 door if it were left open after their exit. As in the cases 

 where the raccoons learned to escape by themselves, they 

 used different paws to undo various fastenings, although 

 one fore paw was almost always used when the experimenter 

 guided their actions. Whether or not the raccoon re- 

 peats the action he is put through depends much upon his 

 convenience. If it is the easiest way he will continue as he 

 was taught; if not he is apt to substitute some other method. 



If a raccoon has learned to undo a latch, turn a button, or 

 pull a loop, he attacks the same object when it is placed in, a 

 different part of the enclosure. Davis, however, attained 

 a different result with some of his raccoons, which would 

 often spend considerable time in vain clawing about where 

 the fastening had been placed. Probably these different 

 results depend upon differences in the previous experiences 



