New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-26

Peter, Subjected TO New Tests by Scientist, Dis
unguishes Screws From Nails and Opens Faucet.

cork. and zi;h a pleased and tranquil
expression
Frequently during the morning he
Wearied OF being The centre OF interest and
would run OF 90 play II he could catch a
minute when they were not watching him.
once wheu Dr. Wilmer turned 10 speak 10
Peters trainers. the ape leaped from his
talIe and skatinr over 70 a washstand IN
the corner % the room. lifted himself up
hy Dis hands turned on the spigOt and
drank before anyone could stop him
Swinging beads was the next trial II is
a little kinGerrarten game that is given 10
an children OF Peters axe when testing
their mental ability. The string was handed
% him and then the wooden beads. They
were rcd beads. and the testee tossed one
into his mouth al once with a cherries
ripe" expression. But his trainer called
OUT. 40. no, It's not a cherry" Then
Peter took II out and after the method had
been shown him only once he strung all
the beads on the cord. after which he
c.appei his hands" with Eiee. as well he
might
Il seems as If IN his expressions OF under
standing. his entering into the spirit Of
things around him and MS quick. thought
ruriously high degree OF intelligence better
even than IN the actual performance Of
the tests. That he should have been pleased
with himself for being able TO string his
beads correctly seems 10 show that he
understood both what had been asked OF
him and his own cleverness IN succeeding
with H.
When. later. they gave him a new kind
h. IA she
feat quickly. taking a difficult staple out
and putting IL hack again. after the process
had been once shown % him. When he had
snapped lie staple hack into place il was
aitl a distinct look and gesture OF triumph
Things that were difficult 20 do pleased
him. but when they gave him an ordinary
lock 10 manipulate he merely locked and
unlocked il quickly. not looking az what he
was doing and taking no interest In u
whatever.
He showed his examiners tIat he knew
he difference between screw and a nail,
between a hammer and a screwdriver, and.
stu further. when all these things were
rut on the table before him. together with
a board. he picked I'd a nail and, looking
for the hammer. banged the nail into the
board with the proper face OF the hammer
Then ne picked ID d screw. looked Al II
with careful attention and reaching over
for the screwdriver he wound the screw
home up 10 its head in the board, although
h,. had q hard time starting IL. because he
heIs the driver with both hands instead OF
steadying the screw with one.
All Of these tests exhibited, IN the opinion
Of those present. the use OF reason Even
Il here reason did not necessarily figure ifni-
tatisn was shown so cleverly that II re-
CURED a high degree OF intelligence Dr.
Wilmer made various ngures on the black
hoard and asked Peter 70 make them The
chimpanzee in each case did IL clearly and
well
Dr. Wilmer. in ms notes OF the expert
rDents. gives an interesting account OF the
writing test. He says
i drew forward a blackboard the writ
ing surface OF which he could easily reach
when standing upon the table he took =
niece OF chalk eagerly and before / had
made any mark upon the board began 10
scrawl in q corner OF IL I took the chalk
from him and said. Peter. ] want you 10
90 dis and rapidly made the letter W In
f0ur strokes Peters attention had not
been fully given while I made the letter.
He took the chalk and scrawled beneath