143 



CHAPTER XL 



THE ADDER— Continued. 



THE REPRODUCTION OF THE ADDER. 



PAIRING — TIME OF P.IRTH — NUMBER OP YOUNG — NAKED EYE 



DEVELOPMENT. 



Pairing. — Female adders are more numerous than 

 males, in the proportion of three or four to one. The 

 process of the fertilisation of the female eggs by the 

 male takes place soon after the winter hibernation is 

 over — that is, in the month of April or early in May. 

 At this time it is a common occurrence to see a male 

 and a female adder lying together on a warm sunny 

 bank, and I have seen as many as seven adders all in 

 a heap. Should a single adder be killed at this time, 

 careful watching for a day or two will generally result 

 in the discovery of the mate in the same spot. The 

 term " bunching " is applied to adders at this time in 

 some districts, from the fact of their being seen or 



