i8o THE NATURAL HISTORY 



hawk, in respect to formation ; and, as far as I can recol- 

 lect, with the swift ; and probably it is so with many more 

 sorts of birds that are not granivorous. 



1 am, etc. 



LETTER XXXI 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON 



Selborne, April 29, 1776. 



Dear Sir, 

 On August the 4th, 1775, ^^ 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 true 

 viper-spirit about them, showing great alertness as soon 

 as disengaged from the belly of the dam : 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 with the help of 

 our glasses. 



To a thinking mind nothing is more wonderful than 

 that early instinct which impresses 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 subsist or are formed. Thus a young cock 

 will spar at his adversary before his spurs are grown ; and 

 a calf or a lamb will push with their heads before their 

 horns are sprouted. In the same manner did these young 

 adders attempt to bite before their fangs were in being. 

 The dam however was furnished with very formidable 

 ones, which we lifted up (for they fold down when not 

 used) and cut them off with the point of our scissors. 



