"George R. Gonzalez" wrote in message
...
it's curious that this is being presented as something just uncovered.

I recall reading in several journals about this way back in the 1970's.
I think BF skinner was involved in this.

They also had pigeons working as pill-sorters, but somebody at the pill
company decided that customers would not like the idea of pigeons pecking
at
their pills.

I've let the original post get away but in there some where was a date (from
the 1950's I think it was) and a magazine name the article came from.