The memory-test was conducted in the following manner. In the absence of
the questioner a number or the name of some day of the week was spoken
to the horse. The experimenter would then return and question him. Of 10
responses 2 were correct, 8 incorrect. Among the correct answers were
the number 3, a number which, as we shall see, Hans was prone to give
under all sorts of conditions, and which therefore meant very little
when given as a correct response. The number 2, on the other hand, was
consecutively indicated by 7, 9, 5, and 3, 8 was given as 5, 6, 4, and
6, consecutively; and finally Wednesday was indicated as the fourteenth
day of the week. After this we undertook the test the horse's far-famed
knowledge of the calendar. Dates, such as Feb. 29, Nov. 12, etc., were
given to Hans and he was asked to indicate on which day of the week they
fell. Sunday was to be indicated by 1, Monday by 2, etc. Of 14 such
tests, 10 were unsuccessful, 4 successful. But in the case of these 4
something very interesting occurred. It happened that during this series
the keeper of the horse was present, and he happened to know the days on
which these dates fell,--as he himself testified. The dates in question
were also little more than a week or so from the day of the experiment,
so they could easily be determined. But as soon as we took more remote
dates both man and beast were hopelessly lost. It was certain that Hans
had no knowledge of the calendar. It is needless to say anything of his
supposed knowledge of cards and coins. Hans plainly was incapable of
the astonishing feats of memory which had been claimed for him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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