THE VIPER, OR ADDER. 75 



The Viper is ovo-viviparous, that is, the young 

 escape from the egg just before, or at the time of 

 parturition, the membrane being very thin and 

 easily ruptured. From ten to twenty young are 

 produced at a birth, and these are as vigorous and 

 pugnacious as their parents immediately on their 

 entrance into the world, Before the event takes 

 place which ushers so many little reptiles into 

 society, the parent female, then in a more sluggish 

 and inactive condition than at other times, may 

 often be observed lying in the full blaze of sun- 

 shine, to acquire from that source the heat which is 

 essential, and which her own cold blood fails to 

 supply. 



Gilbert White says : " On August 4th, 1775, we 

 surprised a large viper, which seemed very heavy 

 and bloated, as it lay in the grass basking in the 

 sun. When we came to cut it up, we found that 

 the abdomen was crowded with young, fifteen in 

 number, the shortest of which measured full seven 

 inches, and were about the size of full-grown earth- 

 worms. This little fry issued into the world with 

 the true viper spirit about them, showing great 

 alertness as soon as disengaged. They twisted and 

 wriggled about, and set themselves up, and gaped very 

 wide when touched with a stick, showing manifest 

 tokens of menace and defiance, though as yet they 

 had no manner of fangs that we could find, even 



