SOME RESULTS OF EXPERIMENT 151 
so that it performs the act as soon as confronted with the sense- 
impression. . . . Previous experience makes a difference in the quick- 
ness with which the cat forms the associations. After getting out of 
six or eight boxes by different sorts of acts, the cat’s general tendency 
to claw at loose objects within the box is strengthened and its tendency 
to squeeze through holes and bite bars is weakened; accordingly it 
will learn associations along the general line of the old more quickly. 
Associations between licking or scratching and escape are similarly 
established, and there was a noticeable tendency to diminish the act 
until it becomes a mere vestige of a lick or scratch. After the cat 
gets so that it performs the act soon after being put in, it begins to do 
it less and less vigorously. The licking degenerates into a mere quick 
turn of the head with one or two motions up and down with tongue 
extended. Instead of a hearty scratch, the cat waves its paw up and 
down rapidly for an instant.” 
Such experiments carried out on a different method give 
results in line with my own. The conditions are, however, 
somewhat unnatural, which I regard as in some respects a 
disadvantage. But we need experiments on different methods 
—the more the better,—and if the results they furnish are in 
accord, their correctness will be rendered the more probable. 
It is to be hoped that Dr. Thorndike will devise further ex- 
periments in which (1) the conditions shall be somewhat less 
strained and straitened, while the subjects are in a more normal 
state of equanimity (cannot “ utter hunger ” be avoided ?), and 
(2) there shall be more opportunity for the exercise of rational 
judgment, supposing the faculty to exist. To establish the 
absence of foresight in the procedure of the cats, it is surely 
necessary so to arrange matters that the connections are clearly 
open—nay, even obvious—to the eye of reason. It appears 
that this consideration has not weighed sufficiently with 
Dr. Thorndike. 
A series of experiments were made to ascertain whether 
instruction (in the form of putting the animal through the 
procedure requisite for a given act) was in any degree helpful. 
The conclusion is that such instruction has no influence. 
Those who have had experience in teaching animals to per- 
form tricks will probably agree here—though some trainers 
