164 



CHAPTER XII. 



THE ADDEn— Continued. 



SWALLOWING THE YOUNG FOR PROTECTION. 



THEORY STATED— OBJECTIONS ADVANCED — EXAMINATION OF 

 VALIDITY OF OBJECTIONS. 



T^HE 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 



