Page:Scientific Monthly, volume 14.djvu/536

 reached by exploratory movements, on the trial and error order, or by chance alone seemed highly improbable; the only known facts were that it made a homing attempt and succeeded.

When we tried to have this cat repeat its performance in the daytime it would not voluntarily leave the building, and even when set on the ledge of an open window it would quickly drop back to the floor; it was finally left in some shrubbery outside, and when I was called away for a brief time it disappeared and was not seen again. Regretting the loss of this cat through our failure to keep it under continuous observation, we decided to test the homing power, at the next opportunity, in the following way: (1) to take the cat, as before, under such conditions that the possibility of orientation through the receptors of sight, hearing and smell would, in all probability, be completely eliminated; (2) to convey it successively in different directions, and gradually increase the distance at each test, and (3) to release it, at a uniform time at dusk, in unknown territory, and under conditions of as free behavior as it was possible to obtain.

The experiments to follow were made with another individual, a female with kittens which were about ready to be weaned; she had been adopted by a neighbor, and her previous history was not known; she was a large and powerful animal (See Fig, 1) and had

FIG. 1

This cat returned to its home seven times in succession when taken out blindfolded, by automobile, over distances of one to three miles; in the first four tests in the direction of the cardinal points, and in one instance after being put under complete anesthesia.