Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-02
STARFISH FORMS HABITS,
SHOW U. C. EXPERIMENTS
At Laboratory of San Diego Marine
Biological Association at La
JolIa Tests of AdabtablI-
ity Are Made

Biological Association at la
JolIa Tests of AdabtablI-
lty Are Made
BERKELEY, Dec. 1.-The University
Press has just issued in the University
of California publications in zoology a
study by Prof. H. s. Jennings of Johns
Hopkins university, made at the uni
versty's marine biological laboratory at
La Jolla and dealing with the life and
habits of the starfish This bulletin pis
lures the life struggles of low animal
In its relation with the other creatures
OF the seashore, how x finds and cap
lures it's food; how 1t defends itself from
it's enemies; how IL avoids and repairs
accidents. This is perhaps the most
thorough study that has ever been made
of the life of a creature so far removed
from ourselves. 1t was made possible
by The opportunities presented at the
laboratory of the San Diego Marine
Biological association at La Jolla. Hero
conditions and subjected to all sorts OF
experiments.
The starfish is shown to have a COM
plicated life and many extraordinary
ways of helping itself. On its back u
bears about 25,000 small jaws OF hands,
arranged in rings and bands. These at
tack fiercely any creature that inolests
the starfish; they seize and hold crabs
and other creatures. till they die. By their
aid the starfish captures many animals
for food; even quick, active fish of con-
siderable size are surprised by these
Jaws, seized held and eaten. Photo
graphs of number of such scenes are
given.
1t is often said that the behavior OF the
lower animals is uniform and stereotyped
the creature always doing the same
thing In the same way. and that they
never learn or form new habits. But
thorough study shows that this is not
true of the starfsh It's behavior is char
acterized by sort of versatility; 1t
can do in many different ways what it
can do at all. Indeed, 1t could almost be
said never to do the same. thing twice In
the same way. Photographs are given,
as examples of this fact. of some of the
many different ways in which the star
fish rights itself when turned on Its back
Test Habits
No animal so low as the starfsh has
before been known 10 form habits-to
learn to do things in certain definite
way. To test whether the starfish can do
this a number of specimens were trained
for a, long time to right themselves In
certain definite ways. BY this method 1t
was found that the starfish very readily
acquires what may be called Temporary
habits. Thus, In a typical case. star
fish was trained to use in righting itself
a certain pair of rays that 1t never en-
ployed naturally. After twelve lessons"
one following another Immediately, the
animal was found to have adopted the
habit. 1t was allowed to right itself eight
times in succession without interference
from the experimenter, and in every case
1t used the pair Of rays that it had been
trained to use.
To produce an effect. that would last
for some time, an extended series OF ''les-
sons" was necessary. In several cases
ter lessons day were given for eighteen
days. At first the animals often resisted
obstinately when the experimenter at
tempted to make them use certain pair
of rays. But the resistance was gradually
overcome by the training process, and at
the end of the time the animal used this
pair of rays more frequently than any
other. In several specimens 1t was found
that the effects of training lasted for at
least a week after the training had
ceased.
1t is thus clear that habits may be
formed in the starfish by comparatively
brief period OF training. There is no doubt
tt at by beginning with young specimens
and continuing we'll planned training for
a .ong time, very marked results could
be produced.
All together, the behavior of the star
fish is characterized as showing 'varia-
billy, unity and adaaptiveness." The
starfish Is the lowest animal In which the
formation of habits has been demon
strated.
Subject of Debate Announced
The committee In charge announces
that the next Carnot debate for the gold
r1edal will ltake place on the first Friday
in February, 1908. The general subject
for investigation from which the specific
subject for debate will be taken is
France and Morocco The Carnot de-
bate takes place annually. and this con-
test selects the best individual debater
oa the two teams representing the Uni
versity of California and Stanford uni
versity. The debate was made possible
through the generosity of Baron de Cou-
bertin, and the subject is always one
dealing with the policies of France. The
debate will be held this year in Harmon
gymnasium on the University of Califor-
MIA campus.
Last Saturday the sophomore eight won
the University of California interclass re-
gatta on the Alameda tidal canal. The
final contest was between the sophomores
and juniors, VINO nad previously ueIeateu
the senior class. In the first series of the
day the sophomores barely nosed out the
freshmen in the last few strokes.
Last night the Winged Helmet. tho
junior society of the university, initiated
into its number seven new members.
Prof. G. II. Roberts Of the department
Of political science is a Harvard man.
George v. Bell halls from Auburn, and is
the newly elected captain of the football
team. Milton #. Farmer is from Han
ford, and is football player. John r
Glascock. jr., of Berkeley is not only a
football player. but is well known for his
contributions of story and verse to maga
zines of the day. His achievements as a
mountain climber in this country and
{, abroad are also well known. Albert M.
ISaul from Los Angeles made his big &C"
on the track last year. He is one OF
those responsible for the arrangements
TOR junior day next Friday, and has done
work of exceptional ability. Maxwell
Stone is assistant yell leader and josh
editor Of the Blue and Gold. He comes
from Berkeley Clayton Shipway Is
cditor-in of the 1909 Blue and Gold.