890 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXYIIL. No. 990 



creatures, on the other, relating to space on 

 the earth's surface. The former look outward 

 towards the horizon, the latter look backward 

 toward their starting point. To the first no 

 opportunity is offered for expertness through 

 experience, to the second is given an oppor- 

 tunity for a reflex mechanism. In the ego- 

 centric method, it is as if the man were 

 attached to the four cardinal points of the 

 compass by elastic threads of indefinite lengths, 

 which present no basis whatever (lines or 

 angles) for a trigonometric figure that relates 

 to the home. 



responsible at times for man's confusion when 

 attempting to find his way, as will be shown. 

 In the other, the domi-centric system of orien- 

 tation, experience continually leads an animal 

 to greater expertness in finding its way home, 

 and the conditions are present for a reflex 

 mechanism. 



The Imaginary Orientation Map. — There is 

 a feature of the ego-centric method of orienta- 

 tion which seems to show that the use 

 of this system leads to loss of bearings. 

 It is found that either through loose early 

 education or through later impressions persons 



Unfamiliar Region 



Domtcen^/c J)7e/^od o/- Or/e/t/affon 



V- 



Fig. 2. Domi-centric Method of Orientation. The chief reference point is always the starting 

 point, or home. Around about are usually many minor reference points; familiar objects which give 

 a definite reaction relating to the home. 



In the case of insects, birds, mammals, etc., 

 which orient themselves domi-centrically, it is 

 as if the living creature were attached to its 

 home by one very strong elastic thread of 

 definite length. Hence, in this case, all 

 changes of position of the creatures can be 

 referred at any moment, to definite distances 

 and angles, forming a simple trigonometric 

 figure which gives the direction to the home. 



In the two types of orientation methods, the 

 use of one, the ego-centric system, actually is 



are apt to acquire erroneous ideas of the direc- 

 tions toward very distant places of the earth, 

 frequently becoming gradually accustomed to 

 think of the points of the compass which corre- 

 spond to these distant places with a large 

 error of direction, amounting in some cases 

 to as much as 180°, or diametrically opposite 

 to the correct location. This leads to the con- 

 ception of a mental image of an orientation 

 map that is entirely imaginary, and erroneous. 

 This imaginary orientation map appears to be 



