THE ADDER. 177 



In a paragraph in F. G. Aflalo's column " About 

 Animals" in the 'Morning Leader' of 25th July 

 1900, he refers to a letter received from Mr Jacob of 

 Eythorne, Dover. This was in reply to a suggestion 

 by Aflalo that it would be well to have evidence on 

 the point from reliable witnesses. Mr Aflalo sent 

 Mr Jacob's letter on to me, and Mr Jacob and myself 

 had a long correspondence on the matter. Mr Jacob 

 has kindly given me permission to make any use I 

 deem fit of his letters, and what follows is from the 

 correspondence in question. 



1. " In your [i.e., Aflalo's] interesting article you 

 appear to hint that the evidence of some reliable 

 witnesses would be not altogether unwelcome. 



" I can give you tw T o instances from among my 

 near acquaintance. My father-in-law is one instance 

 and also a next-door neighbour is another — both in 

 a large way of business as farmers, and both well 

 known in the East Kent markets. Neither of these 

 men was likely to be deceived, and equally also 

 neither was likely to deceive in such a matter. Both 

 have declared to me in conversation that they have 

 distinctly witnessed the act of the young vipers being 

 swallowed by the parent, and safely carried off by 

 her. Neither knew the other had spoken' to me on 

 the subject, so there could have been no collusion. 



" But what appears to me to be sufficient evidence 

 of the fact is that I have seen it myself. That is to 

 say, although / have not actually witnessed the act of 



M 



