i8o The Ottawa Naturalist. 



Some writers, Professor Preyer especially, have published 

 fairly complete studies on the psychic manifestations of infants. 

 The latter's " Mind of the Child " is a monument of patience, 

 industry and ability, and is simply invaluable to those desirous 

 of understanding the human mind. A record has been kept by 

 this author of his own child's mental development from the very 

 first day of its existence to the fortieth month. 



The writer of the present article is attempting to do similar 

 work for several groups of our domestic animals or pets, and a con- 

 siderable number of these investigations are now completed. It 

 is hoped that by such researches a truer light will be thrown on 

 the psychic nature, not alone of the animals investigated, but on 

 that of man also ; for whether we admit evolution in the 

 Darwinian sense in psychology or not, there can be no doubt, 

 after compariug these studies one with another, that there is 

 much that is common in mental development as there is in 

 physical development. 



The dog and the rabbit, much as they differ in anatomy, 

 have also much in common ; and in like manner they greatly 

 resemble each other in certain features psychically, as such studies 

 prove beyond all doubt. 



To many minds this will be evidence for the truth of 

 evolution, and to be explained only on some such theory. 



It is well known that in a very early stage of embryonic 

 development, animals that afterwards differ widely in form and 

 structure, can scarcely be distinguished, if at all, even by the 

 the most expert. 



In like manner the psychic behaviour of whole groups of 

 animals has much in common during the first days of life, a 

 remark that especially applies to those that are born blind. 

 They all manifest certain reflexes and instincts. By a "reflex," 

 physiologists mean a physical result, usually a movement, inde- 

 pendent of the will. It follows because of some sort of stimulus ; 



