THE VIPER_, OR ADDER. 75 



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 them- 

 selves 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." * Again adverting to this, lest 

 it should be considered that he favoured the 

 popular notion that the Viper swallows its young 

 on the advent of danger, he adds, " There was 

 little room to suppose that this brood had ever 

 been in the open air before, and that they were 

 taken in for refuge at the mouth of the dam, 

 when she perceived that danger was approaching ; 

 because then probably we should have found 



" Natural History of Selborne," Lett. xxxi. 



