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r law work better。 I tell you； doctor； if I come up before the judge I will tell him just the same story I tell you。 I can remember it just that way。''
This young man told us he had graduated from intermediate school in Hamburg； in this country he had attended for about a year and a half and； in spite of the language handicap； he was in sixth grade。 There is a brother a little older and an older sister。 Mother has been dead for 5 years。 His father is an artisan and makes a fair living。
We soon found means of getting more facts concerning this case。 The first point of importance was concerning his age。 It appeared that he at present was lying about this； probably for the purpose of concealing his previous record in the Juvenile Court and in other connections。 There had been previously much trouble with him。 He had been long complained of by his father because of the bickering and quarreling which he caused in the household and on account of his not working steadily。 He had shown himself tremendously able in getting employment； having had at least twenty places in the last year and a half。 He was known to lie and misrepresent； on one occasion when he was trying to get certain advantages for himself he falsely stated that he was employed by a certain legal concern； and once he tried to pass himself off for an officer of a court。
The father willingly came to see us and proved to be a somewhat excitable； but intelligent man of good reputation。 We obtained a very good history before studying the boy himself。 Mr。 von X。 began by informing us that we had a pretty difficult case on our hands； and when we spoke of the boy's ambition he became very sarcastic。 He stated that up to the time when the boy left school in Hamburg he had only been able to get to the equivalent of our third grade。 To be sure； it is true that Adolf had learned English quickly and much more readily than any one else in the family； and in the old country had picked up French； but ‘‘he hasn't got sense enough to be a lawyer。''
Both the older children did very well in school； and the father and mother came from intelligent families。 All the children are somewhat nervous； but the two older ones are altogether different from this boy。 They are quiet and saving。 A grandfather was said to have been a learned man and another member of the family very well…to…do。 The mother has one cousin insane and the father one cousin who is feebleminded。 All the other family history from this apparently reliable source was negative。 Both the father and mother were still young at the birth of this child。 The mother died of pneumonia； but prior to this sickness had been healthy。
The developmental history of Adolf runs as follows： His birth was preceded by two miscarriages。 The pregnancy was quite normal； confinement easy。 When he was a few days old he had some inflammation of the eyes which soon subsided。 Never any convulsions。 His infancy was normal。 He walked and talked early。 At three years he had diphtheria badly with delirium for a couple of weeks and paralysis of the palate for some months。 After this his parents thought the boy not quite normal。 He had slight fevers occasionally。 At 9 years he was very ill with scarlet fever。 Following that he had some trouble with the bones in his legs。 Before he left Hamburg he had an operation on one leg for this trouble which had persisted。 （It was quite significant that in our first interview Adolf had told us his leg had been injured by a rock falling on it； necessitating the operation。） Up to the age of 14 this boy； although apparently in good physical condition； used to wet the bed always at night； and sometimes during the day lost control of his bladder。 Also lost control of his bowels occasionally after he was 10 years old。 He sleeps well； is moderate in the use of tea and coffee； and does not smoke。
When young he played much by himself。 After coming to this country his chief recreation was going to nickel shows。 He was fond of music as a child。 He had been a truant in Hamburg。 As a young child he was regarded as destructive。 The general statement concerning delinquency is that Adolf is the only one of the family who has given trouble and that the father was the first to complain of the boy to the authorities。 Before he reported it there had long been trouble on account of frequent changing of employment and misrepresentations。 The boy had forged letters to his family and others。 In the office of a certain newspaper he once represented himself to be an orphan； and there a fund was raised for him and he was outfitted。 The father insists that the boy； in general； is an excessive liar。
Further inquiry brought out that other people； too； regarded Adolf as an extreme falsifier。 The principal of a school thought the boy made such queer statements that he could not be right in his head。 In the office of a clerk of a court he represented himself to be employed by a certain legal institution and demanded file after file for reference。 Everybody there was friendly to him at first； but later they all changed their attitude on account of his unscrupulous and constant lying。
Physically we found a very well nourished boy； rather short for his age。 Weight 121 lbs。； height 5 ft。 1 in。 Musculature decidedly flabby； this was especially noticeable in his handshake。 Attitude heavy and slouchy for a boy。 Expression quite pleasant； features regular； complexion decidedly good。 A North European type。 Eyes differ slightly in the color of the irides。 Noticeable enlargement of breasts。 Well shaped head of quite normal measurements； circumference 54。5； length 18； breadth 15 cm。 No sensory defect； nor was anything else of particular interest found upon examination。
The mental study； particularly the testing for special abilities； has been of very great interest。 Fortunately for the scientific understandings of the problems involved we have been able to see Adolf many times at intervals and to check up previous findings。 Our first statement will be of the results obtained at the earliest study of the case。
When we first saw Adolf； although he talked so intelligently； we asked him to give us some evidence of his educational ability； and to our tremendous surprise he failed to be able to multiply simple numbers or even to do addition correctly。 There was no evidence of emotional upset； but we waited for further testing until we had seen the father； that we might be sure of the school history。 As mentioned above； we found that the boy had entirely misled us。
We then entered upon a systematic study of the boy's abilities and found some strange contrasts。 Perceptions of form and color were normal。 Given a very simple test which required some apperceptive ability； he did fairly well。 Given simple ‘‘Construction Tests'' which required the planful handling of concrete material； Adolf proceeded unintelligently。 He showed no foresight； was rather slow； but by following out a trial and error procedure and with some repetition of irrational placing of the pieces he finally succeeded。 Moderate ability to profit by trial and error was shown； but for his age the performance on this type