Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-14
Remarkable Reasoning
Po1yerS OF an Orang-Ufan

Most interesting Is Professor Yerkess account OF
Julius. young pygmy orang.utan five years old.
One Of the problems given to Julius to obtain
banana by constructing artificial method OF ap.
proach The banana suspended from the wire top
of the cage that It was approximately six feet from
the floor five feet from either side Of the cage and
twelve feet from either end. From all approaches 1t
far beyond the reach Of Julius since 1t mpos
sibe for him climb along the wire roof and thus
reach the string.
Two boxes were placed on the floor OF the cage sew
eral feet from the point directly under the banana
by placing the smaller box the larger and then
climbing up on them.
julius made number of intelligent efforts to reach
the banana in the only possible way, but many times
he failed because he only used box when using
two. did not place hem exactly under the banana.
Commenting this stage OF the experiment Professor
Yerkes says:
Despite all that has been written concerning the in.
telligent behavior Of the orang-utan, was amazed
by Juluss behavior this morning for it far more
deliberate and apparently reflective we'll
persistenty directed toward the goal than had antc.
ipaed / had looked for sporadic attempts to obtain
the banana with speedy encouragement and such
fluctuations of attention as would be exhibited by a
child of two to four But In less than ten minutes
julius made at least ten obvious and we'll directed
empts TO reach the food There also wanderings.
efforts to obtain aid from the experimenter and varied
attempts to escape from the cage"
Apparently the does not like to work unless he
has to- and then he is not keen about IT,
be necessary to correct this trait in aperes
Juuss work this box problem for instance. was
interrupted by frequent fits Of laziness and tendency
to roll himself into ball to play with his feet
When his actions showed that he was just the
point OF sowing the problem correctly this 10 how he
acted:
After series OF attempts from the sides OF
the cage and from the large box he deliberately
turned away from the box and neatly executed
somersault on the floor Of the cage much as
TO say. \ am disguised with the whole situation
Again. later the day, after falling from
the top OF the larger box, which tilted very
easily he rolled himself into ball, and, childke.
played with his feet An additional evidence Of his
changed affective attitude toward his task espe-
cialy in connection with definite failures, appeared
in his rough handling ard biting of the boxes
When most impatient he worked very roughly"
Professor Yerkes here describes how Julius finally
did the trick:
L placed the boxes for the ape April 49, allowed
him 20 get the banana and then gave him opportunity
tc try for himself after the boxes had been displaced
This time he Immediately reached for the smaller box
and moved 1t about little, thus indicating
ISOLATION. He next turned to the larger box and
worked with it persistently. Later he once more
lie repeatedly stood it. but made no attempt to lift
1t or to place the larger box Clearly the usually
neglected smaller box had become associated with the
satisfaction Of obtaining the banana The method
was carried out April 90 AS placed the boxes In
position beneath the banana Julius watched with un
usual intentness, and when 1t his turn to try
obtain the food by the Of the boxes he began al
once to work with the smaller box, but as on April 10
ne soon abandoned 1t and turned the other While
was making note OF this particular OF his
havor he suddenly seized the smaller box by cor
ners with his hands and by one edge with his teeth
and after few attempts placed it top OF the larger
box, climbed up and obtained the banana
Because Of bad weather April 81 the next test
was made on April %, with everything az usual. I'm
aided, the was given opportunity to obtain the
coveted reward while stood ready obtain records