23 8 43 1 179 7 356 6 34 3 65 3 135 4.0
24 8 92 5 56 5 42 3 17 1 23 1 46 3.0
25 9 85 5 114 3 62 3 129 8 31 0 84 3.8
26 9 30 2 36 4 109 15 12 1 34 2 44 4.8
27 9 69 5 40 4 85 6 36 3 16 1 49 3.8
28 10 169 7 80 3 28 0 142 5 35 2 89 3.4
29 10 155 5 266 8 91 5 27 0 37 2 115 4.0
30 10 29 1 25 2 124 14 83 6 111 12 74 7.0
31 10 465 6 208 8 95 3 65 3 159 13 198 6.6
On the basis of two tests per day, two common mice,
a white one and a gray one, quickly learned to escape
from labyrinth A by the shortest path.
The time of escape for the gray individual (Table 37)
decreased from 180” in the first test to 21”
in the tenth, and the number of errors from 6 to 1.
Similarly in the case of the white individual, the
time decreased from 122” to 8”, and the
errors from 5 to 1. A fraction of the number of
tests to which the dancer had been subjected sufficed
to establish a habit of escape in the common mouse.
It is evident, therefore, that the dancer differs
radically from the common mouse in its behavior in
a maze, and it is also clear that the labyrinth method,
if it is to be used to advantage, must be adapted
to the motor tendencies of the animal which is to be
tested.
RESULTS OF LABYRINTH A TESTS WITH COMMON MICE
GREY MOUSE WHITE MOUSE
TEST T E T E
1 180” 6 122” 5
2 26 2 80 6
3 37 1 56 4
4 18 0 27 1
5 68 2 33 2
6 10 1 19 1
7 11 1 17 1
8 13 1 17 1
9 10 0 8 1
10 21 1 8 1
The behavior of the dancer made obvious two defects
in labyrinth A. Its passages are so large that the
mouse is constantly tempted to dance, and it lacks
the basis for a strong and constant motive of escape
by the direct path. To obviate these shortcomings
labyrinth B was constructed, as is shown in Figures
23 and 24, with very narrow passages, and a floor
which was covered with the wires of an interrupted
electric circuit so that errors might be punished.
The length of this labyrinth was 52 cm. and the passages
were 2.5 cm. wide and 10 cm. deep. Dancing in
these narrow alleys was practically impossible, for
the mice could barely turn around in them. In
the case of all except the common mice and two dancers,
a depth of 10 cm. was sufficient to keep the animals
in the maze without the use of a cover.
As an account of the behavior of the dancer in labyrinth
B has already been given in Chapter XI, I may now
state the general results of the experiments.
In all, thirty individuals were trained in this labyrinth.
Each individual was given tests at the rate of one
per minute until it had succeeded in following the
correct path five times in succession. The weak
electric shock, which was given as a punishment for
mistakes, provided an activity-impelling motive for
escape to the nest-box.
