Page:American Journal of Psychology Volume 21.djvu/81

Rh Oriole, one of the male Cowbirds first opened the door but the Oriole soon displaced him and learned to do it in his own way. Later a more pugnacious Oriole was placed in the cage. He soon was the one who opened the door. There were signs of imitation here, although he did not use the method Oriole No. 1 used. Later Oriole No. 1 imitated Oriole No. 2.

11. When the strings were changed these birds did not show as ready adaptation as the English Sparrow. This may be due to the fact that it was still possible for Oriole No. 1 touse his old method which he did.

12. The old crow was so cautious that beginning tests with him were long, and there were many efforts. He learned rapidly when once started. He adapted himself to the first change in the position of the strings on the box with less readiness than the female English Sparrow. With the second and third change his results were quite comparable with the female English Sparrow's. For the fourth change the Young Crow i interfered. The crows, largely because the Young Crow i in his incessant play with the box aided materially in bringing about favorable conditions, furnish us with the best examples of imitation. This is so from the fact that the old crow was led through imitation to change his method of opening the door. The more rigid and difficult criterion is thus shown to be practicable here as well as with the Orioles, the Junco and English Sparrow and Cowbird.

13. In those series where it was possible to obtain data it is somewhat evident that birds of the same species imitated each other more readily than the members of a different species. Yet the latter has occurred twice at least.

14. In the case of nearly every bird which really learned to open the door, we have found repeated pulling of the strings with the door already open. This with the behavior of the birds when the strings were changed to a new position and opening the door in the old place, if such was possible, point to the fact that there was not much analysis of the relations of the situation or parts of the box.

15. In view of what has just been said, it would seem advisable to suggest Intelligent Imitation as a new class leaving the words "reflective," "voluntary," or "intentional," for that which is probably to be classed as distinctively human.