EDITORIAIi. 165 



The average weight of the two classes of fibers in this last series was 

 the same, so that their relative tensile strength is correctly given by the 

 average breaking strain. 



Many other determinations with the same results have been made. 

 There is little doubt but that the machine-stripped fiber is very con- 

 siderable stronger than the hand-stripped variety. To give a reason for 

 this difference is another matter. Examination under the microscope 

 showed that both classes of fibers were quite clean and revealed no 

 differences between them. It is my opinion that the difference is due 

 to the continuous, steady pull of the fiber under the machine's knife as 

 compared to the intermittent jerky pull which is necessary in hand 

 stripping. The jerks of the hand-stripper strain the fibers so as very 

 markedly to lower their tensile strength. Confirmatory evidence for this 

 theory is given by the fact that hand-stripped hemp shows very many 

 broken fibers, so that a bundle of this class of abaca consists of a series 

 of shorter and longer fibers, while the machine-stripped abaca has prac- 

 tically no fibers broken and all are of the same length. The advent of 

 the hemp-stripping machine should very materially advance the quality 

 of Manila hemp. 



Eatmond p. Bacon. 



THE EXCRETA OF THE PYTHON. 



The Biological Laboratory of this Bureau has one young python, the 

 excreta of which I have examined. This python is now about 18 months 

 old. It is 2.4 meters long and is already so strong that it is very difScult 

 for one man to handle it. This snake eats on an average once in eight 

 days, the meal consisting of one large guinea pig or two rats. It may 

 perhaps be of interest to note that none of the pythons in captivity in 

 Manila must be forced to eat, as is often the case in colder climates. 



The excretum is passed two days after feeding as a white, slightly 

 moist solid, accompanied by a considerable quantity of water, which 

 carries most of the mineral constituents in solution. Ten grams of the 

 solid portion of the excreta, dried in vacuo, lost 10.3 per cent water. 

 Ten grams of dried excreta distilled with sodium hydrate gave 0.87 gram 

 of ammonia and 8.9 grams uric acid. The calculated amount of am- 

 monia for 8.9 grams uric acid, to form ammonium acid urate is 0.899. 

 The solid excreta of the python are, therefore, almost pure ammonium 

 acid urate. 



Eaymond p. Bacon. 



