164 



CHAPTER XTI. 



THE ADDER— Continued. 



SWALLOWING THE YOUNG FOR PROTECTION. 



THEORY STATED — OBJECTIONS ADVANCED — EXAMINATION OF 



VALIDITY OF OBJECTIONS. 



The next question for consideration is that bone of 

 contention in adder politics — namely, whether the 

 adder-mother does or does not swallow her family. 

 There is a very widespread belief (found wherever 

 adders occur) that the adder-mother will on the ap- 

 proach of danger take her young into some part of 

 her interior by the act of swallowing, and will there 

 retain them till such time as they can safely be 

 ejected again to the exterior. It is astonishing what 

 bitter disputes arise over the discussion of this matter ; 

 and I have heard two people holding opposite views 

 on the righteousness of the Boer war argue that 

 question politely, when on the conversation turning 

 to the swallowing theory they became violently 



