Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1889-02-24
AN APE THAI COUNTS.
NJ. RonnIne's Letter - to the AstoanA-
In Learning Of . -hImpanxe

About n year ago i began, with tho
assistance of the keeper. I instruct the
c~himpanzee Of the Geological Gardens
In h art Of computation. The method
adopted was TO ask her for one, two,
three, four or five straws, which she
was to pick up aud hand out from
nmong the litter In her cage. or course
20 constant order wns observed in max
Ing these requests, but whenever she
handed IL number not asked for her Of
for was refused. In this way the ami
nal learned 10 associate the numbers
with their names. Lastly. II more than
ono straw was asked for. she was
taught to hold the other in her mouth
until the required number was CON-
plete. and then to deliver tho whole ut
oncc. This method prevented any
possible error arising from her inter-
probation OF vocal tones-an error
which might we'll have arisen II each
straw had been asked for separately.
After n few weeks continuous ins.ruc-
tion the perfectly we'll understood
what was required OF her. and up to the
time when i left town, several months
ago, she rarely made n mistuke in
handing mo the exact number OF straws
that l named. Doubtless she still con-
tinucd 10 do SO for hcr keeper. For
instance. II asked for four straws
She successfully picks up threo and
puts them in her mouth; then sho picks
up n fourth and hands over all the four
together. Thus there can be no doubt
that the animal is clearly able TO dis
tinguish between tho number l, 9, 3, 4
and 8, md that she understands the
name for each. But as this chimpnnzoc
Is somewhat capricious in her moods,
even private visitors must not be dis
appointed IL they fail to BIO entertained
by an exhibition Of her learning-a
caution which II seems desirable to add,
rs this Is the first time that the attain-
ments OF my pupil have been made
known to tho public. although thcy have
been witnessed by officers OF the society
md other biological friends.
/ have sent these fucts TO you, sir, be-
cause l think thoy bear out the psyche
logical distinction between sensuous es-
timation and intellectual notation. ANY
child II year after emerging from infan-
cy n not yet knowing its numerals.
could Immediately sec the difference be-
tween five pigs and six pigs, and. there
fore, rs your writer indicates, it would
be an extraordinary fact IL n savage wero
unable to do SO. But II the savage had
to deal with n larger number OF pigs,
the insufiiciency of his sensuous csti-
nation would increase with the increase
OF numbers until n point would be
reached Mt which, II he were to keep
count Mt NIL. he would be obliged to re-
sort TO some system OF notation-that
y, to mark of each separate unit with
n separate nota, whether by fingers.
notches. or words.
Thus there Is counting and counting
distinguishing between low numbers
by directly approaching tho difference
between two quantities Of scnsuous re-
ccptions, and distinguishing between
numbers OF my amour by marking
each sensuous perception with n sepa-
rate Sign. or course, in the nbuve in
stances OF animals counting. 1t must DO
the former method alone that Is en-
ploycd, and, therefore. ! have not
sought to carry tho npe beyond the
number five. lest ] should spoil the re-
suits already gained. But n careful re-
search has boon made 10 find how fur
this method n BIO cnrried in tho case
OF mar Tho experiments consisted in
n~sccrtaining the number Of objects
(such rs dots on n picco OF pnpcr)
which admit OF being simultaneously
estimated with accuracy. II was found
that the number admits OF being largely
Increased by practice, until. with nm
exposure TO view OF one seconds durc-
ton. tho estimate admits OF being cor
rcctly male up between twenty and
thirty objects.
In tho case OF tho apo II Is astonish-
Ing over how long II time tie estimate
cndurcs. SURPRISING. for instance, that
she Is requested to find five colorcd
straws. She perfectly vol understands
whit Is wanted, but, rs colorcd straws
arc rare In tho litter, sho has to seek
about for them, md thus IL takes her n
long time TO complete tho number; yet
she remembers how mnny she hns sue
ccssivcly found and put into her mouth.
so That when tho number "a conducted
che deliver: II mt once. Alter having
consigned them 10 her mouth she novcr
looks Mt tho straws. and. therefore, her
estimate OF their number must be
formed either by Tho feelings OF her
mouth or by retaining n mental i'm
preston OF tho successive movements
OF her arm in picking up the straws
md placing them in her mouth. With
out being ablo to decide positively in
which OF these ways she estimates the
number. um inclined to think IL Is In
tho Inter. But. II so, II Is surprising,
as alrcndy remarked, over how long a
timo this estimate by muscular sense
endmrcs.- London YInics.