290 GILBEET WHITE OF SELBOENE 1775 



strange peculiarity. Sam Barker and I caught a female 

 viper the other day. When we came to cut it up fifteen 

 young as large as the biggest earthworms came issuing into 

 the world gaping, and setting themselves up, and menacing 

 in a most extraordinary manner. I greatly suspect the fact 

 about the dam's admitting them down her throat in times of 

 danger : for unless we confounded the gullet with the wind- 

 pipe, the passage we saw was not half big enough to allow 

 of room for the young : therefore if they ever retreat into 

 their mother's body at all, it should rather be at the other 

 end, thro' the anus, which is wide, into the abdomen which 

 is very long and capacious. The vitals and viscera lie in a 

 very small space in the middle, and the gullet and colon 

 of course are very long. 



At my arrival I found here Mrs. Barker, Sally, Molly and 

 Sam ; Mr. B. came since. The young people are clever and 

 intelligent. Mrs. Snooke is very well, and a marvellous 

 woman at 81. We have sweet harvest weather, and a noble 

 crop of wheat, and fine hops at Selborne; though they 

 totally fail round Canterbury. Here are no cross-bills this 

 summer in Mrs. Snooke's pines; some years they abound. 

 Sam Barker wishes to be a naturalist. Next Thursday I 

 must set out for Hants ; the Lyndon people [i.e. the Barkers] 

 will follow in a week or ten days. I rejoice to hear that you 

 are so well satisfyed with your new curate, and hope he 

 will not find the duty too much for him. Jack's box was 

 sent up to Edmund. All friends join in respects to you and 

 my sister. Pray write soon. yours affectionately, 



Gil. White. 



Soon after his arrival at home again the Natural- 

 ist's Journal records one of those little experimental 

 investigations which were constantly made by the 

 man who was ever observing and ever noting all 

 natural facts that came within his purview. 



