New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-30
THE IGNORANCE or THE PYTHON
HE NEVER HAD HUMAN INTELLIGENCE,
AND HIS ANIMAL INSTINCT FAILED HIM.

The bald statements which the press agent sent
in yesterday that Uno the snake-charmer
at Huber's Museum had been bitten in the wrist
by a hfteen-foot python that the python was Of
the constructor family and consequently could not
innct dangerous bite. and that Uno, though
somewhat annoyed by the incident. had been able
to go on with her performance.
This might be news OF mild sort. but the
office boy saw at once that II was meagre and IN
sufficient and that It lacked the scientific data
which the readers OF The Tribune expect. He
properly and promptly referred the paragraph 10
the snake editor. whose department IS an i'm
portant-perhaps the most Observation-Disclosures
Of the department Of zoology, technically called In
a newspaper office THE Jungle"
The snake editor the importance Of
the story. He knew without any press agent to
tell him, that python was a constructor and not
a bitter and that therefore Cno could not have
been constrictively bitten by one. The accident
10 I'no was Of 10 value" and Of no other
kind Of value but II constructors were begin
ming 10 bite. that fact was of immense scientific
interest. The snake editor investigated the story
and found It TO be true. Thus the fact that 2
constructor may bite, although its bite Is not
poisonous, established.
But even this discovery Is Of little importance
compared with the corollary which II involves. For
tho incident opens the whole subject Of instinct
and intelligence IN animals and their relation to
the intelligence in man, and proves that the value
Of instinct az compared with Intelligence. il not
so great naturalists have imagined. win TINS
large subject before him. the snake editor caIed
the dog editor into consultation.
The dog editor said that he was reminded or the
famous remark OF the tramp. Another tramp had
said to him that he need not be afraid OF GER
tain dog which was barking violently. because bark
Ing dogs never Bit whcreto the first tramp re-
joined THAT is all very well. you know that bark
Ing dogs never bite and know II. but the dog. he
don't know e." The story does not say whether
the dog finally did tite not hut the weight or
opinion among naturasts has always been that
he did not as Il thought that, even though ne
did not know that he ought not to bite his instinct
would restrain him from doing SO:
But here clearly parallel case, Tor ihe
snake editor knew that constructors ola not blte
and Tno knew IT, but the snake did not Know II
ANY naturalist would say that the snake should
ha We known Il Instructed II. one or the other
Vet the snake did bite. Thus It was the snake
Ignorance Of its capabilities and ITS rack OF
instinct on the subject that saved Cnos NE TOT
the snake had CONSTRUCTED her. instead or biting
her she would not have finished the performance
The snake would have done that. so II Is proved
that in some cases at least, animals nave nel'her
human intelligence instinct as substitute ana
the superiority OF man TO snakes Is clearer IMAM
before. . H., 1000,
Whether r. is possible for all men to rise supe-
rior 10 snakes is large a question Tor discus
sion here 1t will be referred 10 the alcohol editor
who took holiday Sunday, and whose return
TO the office s expected by tomorrow at the latest