174 BRITISH SERPENTS. 
On the whole, then, not having seen the act of 
swallowing the young, and having tried to survey 
in a spirit of impartiality the objections brought 
against the belief, what is the conclusion? Speaking 
for myself, I decline to come to a definite opinion. I 
have been told that such an attitude is simply begging 
the question. On the contrary, I maintain that it is 
the only scientific attitude one can take up on this or 
any other question, if the evidence seems to be incon- 
clusive. Why should any one be expected to hold 
definite opinions on matters he considers unproved, 
even if they be possibly or probably true? I do 
not feel bound to form or express a definite opinion 
on the stability or otherwise of the Peruvian Govern- 
ment simply because I have two friends, one of whom 
thinks it the strongest that has existed for years, and 
the other is convinced that it is tottering to its founda- 
tions. I simply await events, in order to see which 
opinion turns out the correct one, keeping an open 
mind on the subject, and not refusing to weigh evi- 
dence whichever way it leads. Similarly in the 
adder-swallowing question, I do not refuse to believe 
it because I have not been fortunate enough to see it 
for myself (the combined evidence of the community 
has to be sufficient on many questions not coming 
under our individual notice), nor do I feel bound 
to accept every statement made by all sorts of people 
(or one would have many extraordinary beliefs), But 
ib may be fanly asked, What would be considered 
