THE ADDER. 191 



under a large stone. I could show you the exact spot 

 on Garway Hill where this occurred." — L. Davies, 

 High Meadow, Kentchurch, Herefordshire, June 3, 

 1898. 



I have many other statements of a similar char- 

 acter to these quoted, but no good purpose would be 

 served by giving them all. I must, however, quote 

 a letter from Tyrrell, the Keeper of the Eeptile House 

 at the Zoological Gardens, London, which F. G. 

 Aflalo has kindly sent me. It runs as follows : — 



" In answer to your question with regard to snakes 

 swallowing their young, I am aware that it is a 

 common opinion that snakes hide their young in this 

 manner, but I candidly believe it never happened. I 

 have had many kinds of vipers with young ones, and 

 have tried several methods of frightening them, but 

 have never seen the event take place, or any action 

 to cause me to believe it even possible." — J. Tyrrell, 

 Beptile-Keeper, 27 Lawford Eoad, Kentish Town, 

 July 12, 1900. 



I have no intention of offering a detailed criticism 

 on these statements : my readers can compare them 

 for themselves, and form their own opinion upon their 

 relative value. I would only add that the italics in 

 this chapter are mine, and that they draw attention 

 to what I consider the points to be particularly noted. 

 Too much stress should not be laid on the very 



