172 The American Naturalist. [February,. 
followed the latter order. In each case the time of the women was con- 
siderably longer than that of the white men and Indians. 
Prof. Cattell reported upon the work in progress at the Columbia. 
laboratory. He spoke of investigation on the nature of mental im-. 
agery. An object is named by the investigator, and the subject re-- 
ports the order in which the images from different senses are recalled ;. 
a passage is read, and the nature of the resulting memory images is in- 
vestigated in a similar manner. An examination of various poets- 
shows that some, (such as Swinburne), habitually avoid certain harsh 
sounds, while others, (such as Browning), pay little heed to this point ;: 
the former seem better adapted for loud reading, the latter for visual 
perusal. Prof. Cattell reported another study on the nature, duration,. 
etc., of after images, with special reference to the individual peculiari- 
ties of different subjects. The problems under investigation at Colum-- 
bia include also one on the relation of objective rhythm to the greatest. 
possible speed of voluntary rhythmic movements, one on color nomen- 
clature, and one on the relation between the duration and intensity of 
light stimulation. According to Prof. Cattell, the results in the last 
case thus far were not in agreement with those reported by Mr. Lough.. 
Prof. Witmer read a paper on the “ Organization of Practical Work. 
in Psychology.” He spoke of the beneficial results to be obtained 
from the correlation of psychology with medicine and teaching. Up 
to the present time the results of contemporary psychological investiga- 
tion have not been scientifically applied, in the instruction of either 
normal or defective children. Prof. Witmer recommended a number: 
of steps to be taken with a view to accomplishing this end: 1. A 
series of uniform psychological tests, determined at the outset and not 
altering constantly with changes of fashion, to be applied everywhere 
to school children of all grades, and to follow as far as possible the 
same child throughout its course. Another series, devised in the same 
way, to be applied similarly to the mentally defective. 2. A perma- 
nent exhibit of the results obtained from these tests, and of the meth- 
ods employed in making them, which should be accessible to teachers 
and others interested. 3. An experimental training school for the 
defective classes under psychological auspices. 4. A psychological 
clinic and dispensary, in charge of an ‘expert’ with thorough medical 
as well as psychological training, for children who without any marked 
mental deficiency theless backward under the ordinary methods 
of teaching; children would be brought here for consultation, and after 
examination the proper treatment or course of training would be rec- 
ommended. 
