Rodents Show Intelligence, Monkeys Impossible in Boylston Maze Tests

Rats, cats, chickens, squirrels, white mice, guinea pigs, and monkeys have had regular "behavior tests" for the last five years on the top floor of Boylston Hall. This year the Department of Psychology has removed its overflow menagerie to the new Biological Laboratories.

"Learning curves," showing the rapidity with which the mind grasps a problem, were proved to be practically the same for animals and humans. In one respect, however, there is a great difference. A hungry animal shows more alacrity and intelligence in going through a maze than a well-fed one. With humans, the difference is negligible.

The rats, in general, were found to be very cooperative during the experiments. Furthermore, they showed "more intelligence in proportion to their physical powers than any other animal," according to one of the investigators.

Three years of concentrated study upon the monkeys produced little in the way of results. No maze built was sturdy enough to confine them when aroused, and the use of hunger as a punishment for misdemeanors merely infuriated them.

During the course of one experiment, a few of these miscreants wrung the necks of 12 chickens in a neighboring cage, tore down all electric light fixtures, and released a dozen or more iliblended creatures by rolling up the chicken wire on the cages. Two days later found the monkeys in the seclusion of Franklin Park.

White mice and guinea pigs were inclined to be too sickly for successful experimentation. Weeks of work may be wasted by the death of a half-educated animal in the midst of learning the intricacies of maxe-work.

Altogether, those concerned with the animal research mourn the passing of most of the animals to the new laboratories, but no one has been moved to tears over the vacant monkey cages.