208 REPORTS ON THE STATE OP SCIENCE. 



are tried, as part of their education, with easy compositions, which are 

 often descriptive, and from these very useful information may be 

 obtained by the school medical officer, who would naturally look 

 through the books of cases proposed for return to Elementary school or 

 for exemption. 



The Aussage test could be tried with very long exposures, but as 

 before mentioned it would hardly be possible to get all the questions 

 answered, even if the picture or object were all the time in the sight of 

 the pupil. The same applies to Binet's card of objects; but the method 

 might perhaps be used with advantage in teaching these children. 



The association tests suggested look promising. In a way they are 

 used, of course, in the line of inquiry involved in the question, ' What is 

 a cat?' previously referred to, but the list method might be tried. 

 They also come in in such questions as ' Is it day or night ? ' followed 

 by ' How do you know ? ' 



Memory is tested only by the multiplication table and recitations, 

 apart from its obvious bearing on all work. Some can learn little 

 verses quite well. It is the useful forms that always seem wanting. 

 It is tested, too, in questions as to breakfast, things seen on the way to 

 school, &c, but this mixes up with fidelity of report, which is often con- 

 spicuously absent. Logical memory is trained in the repetition and 

 explanation of little tales and accounts of current events. Some 

 teachers record impressions on this, but I know of no accurate records 

 or definite investigations. It is a useful accessory, but of less certain 

 direct diagnostic value, save in its misuse, as in the children who will 

 read fluently what is not on the page. 



Suggestibility. — See size-weight illusion. 



hnagination. — Ink blots as described have not been tried. The 

 children, like others, often add to a blot in an effort to make a picture, 

 but there are no records of results. 



Development of sentences. — Used in teaching, and might well be 

 used in examination. 



Vocabulary. — Tested in relation to the intelligence of the reading it 

 is clearly very limited, but there are no accessible lists made for this 

 purpose. 



Size-weight Illusion. 



Demoor's test consists in presenting to the child two objects of 

 identical form and weight but differing in size. To persons of normal 

 intelligence the smaller appears to be the heavier when handled. It 

 is claimed that mentally defective children respond that the larger 

 package is the heavier. Dr. Thomas found in London special 

 schools that the test generally elicited a normal response in the 

 higher grades of children, but the defective response in the lower 

 grades. The test, therefore, divides the defective children in the 

 schools roughly into two classes, one approximating to the dull and 

 backward, the other to the imbecile. He regards it as of considerable 

 'value. 3 



' Dr. Myers points out that the ' clef ect ' occurs in normal very young children. 



