tion in ten trials.

Since in only six of these ten control settings was the first choice
correct, it is scarcely fair to insist that the animal was reacting on
the basis of an ideational solution of the problem. Rather, it would
seem that he had learned to react to particular settings. A careful
study of all of the data of response, together with notes on the varied
behavior of the animal during the experiments, justifies the statement
that Skirrl's solution of problem 1 was incomplete and unreliable. It
was highly dependent upon the particular situation, or even the
particular door at the left end of the group, and slightly if at all
dependent upon anything comparable to the human idea of first at the
left of the group.

This particular series of observations has been described and discussed
in some detail in order to make the chief points of method clear. It
will be needless, hereafter, to refer explicitly to many of the
characteristics of reaction or to the important points in the
construction of tables which have been mentioned.

A graphic representation of Skirrl's learning process in problem 1 is
presented in figure 18. The irregularities are most striking, and fairly
indicate the erraticness of the animal. The curve is based upon the data
in next to the last column of table 1, that is, the column presenting
the errors or wrong first choices in each series of trials.

Unquestionably, the form of such a curve of learning should be
considered in connection with the method or methods of selecting the
right box employed by the animal during the course of experimentation.
It appears from an analysis of the behavior of Skirrl in problem 1 that
there developed a single definite and persistent method, namely, that of
going to one box in the group, and in case it happened to be a wrong
one, of choosing, on emergence from it, the next toward the right end of
the group, and so on down the line. Having reached the extreme right
end, the tendency was to follow the side of the reaction-chamber around
to the opposite end and to enter the first box at the left end of the
group, which was, of course, the right one. This method appears, with
certain slight variations, in approximately ninety per cent of the
trials which involved incorrect choices. Thus, in the case of trials 121
to 130, of which eight exhibit right first choices, the remaining two
exhibit the method described above except that the final member at the
right end