OF THE INTELLIGENCE OF YOUNG CHILDREN 13 



allowed between the two. If an error is made, or some speech 

 defect prevents the understanding of the repetition, another 

 beginning should be made. It suffices that an exact repeti- 

 tion be made once in three trials. When the repetition of 

 two digits is possible, three are tried, always at the rate of 

 two per second, and always avoiding special emphasis; one 

 success in three is still sufficient. Many children of three 

 years who repeat two digits with ease are incapable of re- 

 peating three; one additional digit greatly increases the diffi- 

 culty. When the repetition of three digits is possible, five 

 are tried, always under the same conditions of rate and of 

 pronunciation, and still considering one success in three suffi- 

 cient. It proves much more difficult to repeat five digits than 

 three. A great variety of errors are made by the children; 

 first a complete silence, then a sort of vagueness and uncer- 

 tainty of pronunciation; then a partial repetition in which 

 only the last numbers and sometimes only the last number 

 are given; next a tendency to give numbers which have not 

 been mentioned. Such numbers are not a chance choice, but 

 depend upon the natural order of numbers; thus, a subject 

 to whom one gives the series 5-8-2-7-4, says 5-8-2-3-4, the two 

 naturally calling up the three. Sometimes the phenomenon 

 is still more clear, so striking that it implies a very feeble 

 critical sense; as when a child who has completely forgotten 

 the figures 0-8-2-7-9, says 1-2-3-4-5-6. 



III. Enumerates objects in a picture. — Pictures are in- 

 valuable in the examination of children. The most inatten- 

 tive child brightens up when shown a picture. It is an almost 

 sure road to their confidence. Pictures may be used for many 

 purposes; the child may be asked to point to the various pic- 

 tured objects as the examiner mentions them ; if he succeeds, 

 he has the ability of immediately associating the auditory 

 impression of the word with the object for which it stands. 

 In this test we use the picture to make the child talk. We 

 reverse the former method, having the child name the objects 

 which he sees pictured before him, thus testing his ability to 

 recall the name of an object which he sees. It is much more 



