322 on the viper. Oct. '^ir 



no manner of fangs that we could find, even with the 

 help of our glafses. To a thinking mind, nothing is 

 more wonderful than theearlj instinct which imprefses 

 young animals with the notion of the situation of 

 their natural weapons, and of using them properly in 

 their own defence, even before those weapons sub- 

 sist, or are formed. Thus a young cock will spur 

 at his adversary before his spurs are grown ; and a 

 calf or a lamb will pufti with their heads, before their 

 horns are sprouted. In the same manner did these 

 jJ^ung adders attempt to bite before their fangs were in 

 being. The dam, however, was furniflied with -ve- 

 ry formidable ones, which we lifted up, (for they 

 fold down when not used,^ and cut them off with the 

 point of our scifsars. There was little room to sup- 

 pose that this brood had ever been in the opeft 

 air before ; and that they were taiken in at the 

 mouth of the dam, when {he perceived the danger 

 was approaching ; because then, probably, we fhould 

 have found them somewhere in the neck, and not 

 in the abdomen."" 



Extracts from Ptnnanfs Britijb zoology, respecting 



the viper. 



" They conceive a perfect egg within ; but bring 

 forth their young alive. 



" Providence is extremely kind in making this 



species far from prolific ; we having never heard of 



- more than eleven eggs being found in one viper ; 



and those are as if chained together, and each about 



the size of a blackbird's egg. 



*' They copulate in May, and are supposed to be 

 about three months before they bring forth. 



