New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-12

Kipling's Hunting Of Kaa" puts the idea into
dramatic form. There may be evidence that the
python goes hunting" though If he does not
but remains, as "Eha" says. quiet and waiting
till he can seize a passing jackai or monkey,
ii does not spoil the story. 1t is, however. on
record that a monkey has been known 10 drop
down in q dead faint when suddenly shown q
serpent: and more than one account represents
a brood OF fedGed young birds fiuttering ana
apparently poWerless to fly before snake with
the parent bird dashing so close past us Jaws
that il is caught This only be accounted
for on the same grounds as the Impulse when
makes persons inclined to throw themselves
over precipices 1t arises from the momentary
breakdown Of resolution in the face OF an over
whelming danger or from the rebound OF over
stretched precaution. which starts back TO the
furhest limits of adherence and then rushes
into the jaws OF peril. But the temporary par
alysis Of faculties is an instance or moral IaiI-
ure in what up till then. has been a series OF
reasoned acts. All weaker creatures pay IN
tense attention TO the appearance or natural
enemy Their first impulse IS TO watch 1t most
intcntly Deer hares and birds all do TINS
Concurrently with this watching impulse is that
of standing absolutely still. In some cases TINS
develops into crouching, or sitting mouonless,
so that the creature may while never taking It's
eye off its enemy. be at the same time invisible
Paralysis Of faculties often so FAR accom-
panies this attitude that the creature. ID It's
intense apprehension OF one danger. becomes
oblivious Of another. A mountain hare, Tor IN
stance watching an eagle. has allowed ltseli 10
be picked up by the hand.
The extra voltage" of fear engendered by the
horror Of the serpent would be sufficient, when
exercised on the nerves of highly sensitive
creatures like the smaller birds. so TO strain the
first series OF reasonable acts Of watching, I'M
mobility and crOuching that the final Logical
act that OF flight when discovered. Is impossl-
BILE the will-power having broken down. The
converse Of this feeling in the hunted may some
times be seen in the hunter. Very Wel-bred
pointers have elaborated the point, when
was originally the pause 10 determine exactly
where the bird or hare vas sitting. that they
cannot he induced to break il and move on 10
flush the game 1t is not difficult 10 guess why
some dangerous animals induce this paTalyZlns
fear in their prey. while others do not II varies
largely in proportion 20 the deadly nature OF the
creature and its weapons or mode OF pursuit
The cat is a more formidable animal that the
stoat But rabbit or hare shows no more IMAM
ordinary fear az the cat. The stpat, on the con-
trary often "fascnates." or rather paralyzes'
the mental faculties of the rabbit. or even OF the
courageous rat. II does not always happen Dut
instances are so common that We need not quote
them \ rabbit hunted 10y stoat Will SIT down
and squeak till the stOat leisurely kills 1t; and
A rat viii often MAKE no fight at all against the
same enemy though il would defend ITSELF
against a ferret which is larger than the stoat
II is the remorseless blOodthirst and courage OF
the stoat which has won this ascendency.