THE ADDER. 169 
C. A reference to the chapter on the anatomy of 
the adder will recall what was there said on the size 
of the gullet (see p. 100). A careful comparison of 
the cubic capacity with the average number of young 
will show that the total bulk of the latter is not be- 
yond the dimensions of the gullet. Discussing this 
question once with a naturalist, I dissected a gullet 
and distended it with a blowpipe in his presence. His 
comment was, “There is room in the gullet for twenty 
young, but for forty I think not.” With this remark 
Tam in full agreement, but am by no means satisfied 
that an adder ever had forty young at a birth, and am 
quite certain that if it did occur it was a most excep- 
tional litter! It is instructive in this connection to 
remember the appearance of the young in the ege just 
at full time, and to notice in what a wonderfully small 
space they can coil themselves up. When taken out 
of the ege it seems impossible that they should have 
been stowed away in such a small compass. So in the 
matter of the gullet it will be found by any one who 
cares to make a dissection such as described, that the 
cubic capacity is sufficient to hold the average number 
of young in the adder’s family. 
Anatomically considered, there is nothing impossible 
in the adder-mother being able to swallow her young 
and find room for them in the gullet. 
3. The further objection is advanced, that even if 
17 have been informed since writing the above that an adder 
brought forth forty young on one occasion in captivity. 
