On the basis of the supposition that a maze whose
path was so complex that the animal would not be likely
to follow it correctly in the early trials would be
more to the purpose than either A or B, labyrinth C
was devised. As is shown in the plan of this
maze, Figure 27, five mistakes in choice of path were
possible on the forward trip. These errors, as
a rule, were more difficult for the dancers to avoid
than those of labyrinths A and B. Those which are
designated by the numerals 2, 3, and 4 were especially
difficult. Error 4 was much more troublesome for
left whirlers than for right whirlers because, after
turning around abruptly at the entrance to the blind
alley, the former type of dancer almost always followed
the side wall of the maze so far that it missed the
correct path. Undoubtedly the various errors
are not of the same value for different individuals;
but it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible,
to devise a maze which should be equally difficult
for several normal individuals.
In order that records of the path followed by a mouse
in test after test might be kept with ease and accuracy
by the experimenter, the plan of this labyrinth, and
also that of labyrinth D, were cast in rubber.
The outlines of labyrinths C and D which appear in
Figures 27 and 28 respectively were made with the
rubber stamps which were thus obtained. Figure
27 is the reproduction of a record sheet which presents
the results of the first, the fifth, the tenth, and
the eleventh tests of No. 2 in labyrinth C. The path
followed by this individual in the first test was far
too complex to be traced accurately on the record
sheet. The record therefore represents merely
the number of errors which was made in each region
of the maze. For the fifth test, and again for
the tenth and the eleventh, the path was recorded
accurately. This simple device for making record
blanks which can readily be filled in at the time
of the experiment should recommend itself to all students
of animal behavior.
In labyrinth C ten pairs of dancers were given continuous
training tests at the rate of one test per minute
until they were able to follow the direct path correctly.
Because of the difficulty in learning this maze perfectly,
it was not demanded of the mice that they should follow
the path correctly several times in succession, but
instead the training was terminated after the first
successful trip.
TABLE 39
RESULTS OF LABYRINTH-C EXPERIMENTS, WITH TWENTY DANCERS
MALES
FEMALES
NO. OF NO. OF FIRST NO. OF NO. OF FIRST
MOUSE CORRECT TEST MOUSE CORRECT TEST
