is open, and the tongue is discovered to be making futile

movements in secondary imitation of the hand-tracing. Evi-
dently the stimulus has resulted, as in other cases which we
have examined, in an overflow of nervous energy into muscles
which are largely irrelevant to the success of the immediate
enterprise in hand. The product of this effort is compared
with the copy, its failure to comply with the original is noted,
and another effort is made. Or the repetition may be forth-
coming simply because the act itself is agreeable, and with a
splendid disregard of any disparity between copy and original.
In other cases, candour compels one to admit, the next attempt
is made under the influence of some one of the various forms
of suasion of which the teacher may be master. When the
activity goes forward of the child's own initiative, however,
and when he is left more or less to himself, he slowly manages
to improve his work both as regards faithfulness of portrayal
and as regards the elimination of useless movements. Now
this result is achieved in much the same manner as already
described in connection with our illustrative baby and rattle,
so that however fundamental these conscious imitative proc-
esses may be in putting the child in touch with his social
surroundings, the method of procedure adds nothing essential
to the forms we have already studied.

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