38 THE HORSE OF MR. VON OSTEN 



time designated as 9 and later as 14, while 6 were at first 

 designated as 12, and later as 10. Since all these errors 

 could not be accounted for on the ground of miscounts 

 on the part of the horse, it was evident that Hans is quite 

 unable to count. 



The memory-test was conducted in the following man- 

 ner. In the absence of the questioner a number or the 

 name of some day of the week was spoken to the horse. 

 The experimenter would then return and question him. 

 Of 10 responses 2 were correct, 8 incorrect. Among the 

 correct answers were the number 3, a number which, as 

 we shall see, Hans was prone to give under all sorts of 

 conditions, and which therefore meant very little when 

 given as a correct response. The number 2, on the other 

 hand, was consecutively indicated by 7, 9, 5, and 3, 8 was 

 given as 5, 6, 4, and 6, consecutively ; and finally Wednes- 

 day was indicated as the fourteenth day of the week. 

 After this we undertook the test the horse's far-famed 

 knowledge of the calendar. Dates, such as Feb. 29, 

 Nov. 12, etc., were given to Hans and he was asked 

 to indicate on which day of the week they fell. Sunday 

 was to be indicated by i, Monday by 2, etc. Of 14 such 

 tests, 10 were unsuccessful, 4 successful. But in the case 

 of these 4 something very interesting occurred. It hap- 

 pened that during this series the keeper of the horse was 

 present, and he happened to know the days on which 

 these dates fell, — as he himself testified. The dates in 

 question were also little more than a week or so from the 

 day of the experiment, so they could easily be deter- 

 mined. But as soon as we took more remote dates both 

 man and beast were hopelessly lost. It was certain that 

 Hans had no knowledge of the calendar. It is needless 

 to say anything of -his supposed knowledge of cards and 



