1897.] Psychology. 355 
a flower, coin, ete. The package was only opened after the subject was 
in bed. The contents were then displayed on a black backgronnd, and 
scrutinized closely for a considerable time—usually from two to ten 
minutes—without intermission ; in some cases for half an hour or more, 
interspersed with periods of rest. The light was then put out, and the 
.eyes closed. In the morning, immediately on awaking, the subject 
wrote a report of his dreams, together with the conditions of fatigue 
the night before, length of sleep, ete. Prof. Vold supplemented these 
reports, when it seemed desirable, by verbal questionings. Some 300 
separate tests of this nature were made. 
On examining the results, it was found that the character of the 
dreams depended on a number of distinct factors, such as the quietness 
and uneventfulness of the preceding evening, but that it did not depend 
(so far as could be discovered) on the specific time of experimentation 
or of awakening, nor on the obtaining of after-images from the given 
objects. The size, form and color of the objects were rarely all repro- 
duced together, but one or two of these conditions often reappeared in 
the dreams. The form and size of the oljert - were frequently PORES: 
duced, either as in the original or with some 
tion often occurred in the dream itself. The color exerted an influence 
independent of the other factors, and this proved the point of greatest 
interest in the results. When the given objects were black or white 
(with complimentary background) the dreams in many instances ex- 
hibited recurring contrasts of light and shade. Often the object reap- 
peared (with considerable change of form) in the same color as shown ; 
or some other object appeared in the given color, which might bea very 
unusual one for it to take; in this case, either the color of the back- 
ground reappeared also, or no background was discerned. In experi- 
ments with colors other than black and white, the given color also 
tended to reappear; this was especially the case with red; the color 
might recur in the same tone, saturation and brightness as in the given 
object, or it might appear modified in these respects; or, such a modi- 
fication might take place in the course of the dream, as in the case of 
modifications of form. 
The author concludes from these experiments that the visual appa- 
ratus immediately before awakening reproduces toa certain extent the 
condition present at the time of falling asleep; but that the original 
associations of form, size, color and abstract representation are broken 
up, and new syntheses constructed in their stead. In these new syntheses 
the common visual forms, or abstract representations of daily life, are 
apt to become associated with the colors or outlines of objects which 
