Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 82.djvu/176

172, was his correct solution, in the same sense that his other solutions were correct, of the problem,—"If I must pay 35 cents for one dozen oranges, how much must I pay for 224 dozens?" King "solved" this "in his mind," which is more than the average high-school graduate can do. Also, he apparently carried the solutions of all the other problems "in his mind" after "studying" them once, which would be regarded as "some" feat for a mathematician even.

Stopping a moment for comments, it may be noted first that the trainer while commanding the horse saw the numbers on the rack, and that the horse passed along the rack, instead of walking up straight to a number. It was impossible to keep tab on all of the trainer's talk so as to determine whether he always used a given word or phrase when the horse was opposite a particular number; but some observers in the audience believed that this was true, and that the phrase he used was "Show the gentleman." It was thought by some members of the audience that the trainer always stamped his foot when the horse was to move back on the rack in order to find the right number. The writer, who remained at the blackboard while the horse was "studying" the figures, noted that he did not appear to concentrate upon them at all. The trainer would say to him as the numbers were being written, "Now, King, study these numbers, so that you can do your work quickly." The horse on at least two occasions nibbled at the writer's fingers while the numbers were being written. Once he looked out of the window; and from the focus of his eyes, which were specially observed, it appeared impossible for him to be attending to the numbers which had been written. If a child had been doing this work he would have shown in his bodily adjustments that he was concentrating upon the situation before him, but it was just the other way with King. The trainer would tell him to figure a problem all out before he went to the rack, so that he could do his work fast; and assuming that he did this, it indicated a higher degree of numerical imagery and retentiveness than the majority of human beings possess.

After the arithmetical tests, the writer introduced King to three of the observers situated in different parts of the room. Then five ribbons of different colors were put on the rack, after which the writer said to the horse,—"King, take the orange ribbon to Miss W." The trainer followed with, "King, do as the gentleman bids you. Find the orange color." The trainer was constantly talking to King, and stamping to make him obedient, and the horse soon picked out the orange ribbon and apparently went directly with it to Miss W., throwing it at her. The writer next said, "King, find the blue ribbon and take it to Mr. X." Again the trainer talked to the horse while he was performing the task, with the result that he found the blue ribbon, and took it to Mr. X. Miss W. threw her ribbon onto the floor, and the trainer said, "King,