210 REPORTS ON THE STATE OP SCIENCE. 



used in vision testing, &c. Then ask, Show me the E's or the cats, as 

 the case may be. But are these cases comparable? 



Test 5. — Tried with bricks or any similar objects of varying size, 

 and without reference to the foregoing. Out of questions asked singly, 

 to elucidate ideas of number, size, and distance, the order of correct- 

 ness seems ordinarily to be distance, size, and number. But if differ- 

 ences are only slight the estimate of size falls off more than that 

 of distance, both being diminished in accuracy and rate of response 

 very materially, while the estimate of number is unimpaired. The 

 majority of the grade at which this was used touched and counted 

 the objects. There was, unfortunately, no attempt at timing. 



Test 6. — These and similar questions seem more adapted to better- 

 grade children. They are useful to detect backwardness, for a child 

 who can answer them at all readily is bright and intelligent or well 

 trained. Now, if a child could answer such questions, yet could not 

 read or write, and had attended school to a reasonable extent, that child 

 must have some specialised defect. If, on the other hand, it had not 

 had any opportunity of education, then it may be expected to progress 

 rapidly and would be regarded as merely backward, because of the 

 comparative rarity of specialised defects associated with a quite bright 

 general response. Such cases do, however, exist; e.g., there is a dis- 

 tinguished draughtsman and inventor who cannot letter his drawings. 



The general method of de Sanctis' tests is of high value, especially 

 in dealing with those who cannot read or write, or whose powers in 

 that direction are very limited. Tests 1 to 5 should be passed by 

 the child of seven to eight, as should Tests 6 (a) and (c). Test (d) 

 yields a more doubtful response, as the child hardly grips what is 

 meant, but if time be allowed and the object put in the new position 

 it will be done. 



Older children can answer it quickly, but the defectives take much 

 longer. Out of six of these two at least failed. 



The Binet-Simon Tests : 

 1905 Seeies. 



1. Never tried with a match, but frequently by asking child to 

 follow movements of the finger while keeping his head still. Accessory 

 test tried in various forms. 



2. Always tested, though not usually with direct intent, but any 

 failure to co-ordinate movements would be noted. 



3. As above. Failure with these leads to an examination along 

 physically defective lines — i.e., more strictly medical, with a view to 

 a provisional diagnosis. Invaliding the almost certain result. 



4. Tried in so far that the offer of a sweet or a halfpenny is some- 

 times tried as a last resource with a very low-grade or obstreperous 

 case. Conclusions seem sound. 



5. Tried unintentionally, much as described, with a caramel. One 

 unwrapped it, the other threw it at me. The test I have tried is to 

 give the child a simple knot to untie, but not done often enough to 

 have more than the general impression that all but the lower grades 

 attempt it correctly. 



