THE ADDER, ey, 
In a paragraph in F. G, Affalo’s column “ About 
Ammals” in the ‘Morning Leader’ of 25th July 
1900, he refers to a letter received from Mr Jacob of 
Eythorne, Dover. This was in reply to a suggestion 
by Aflalo that it would be well to have evidence on 
the point from reliable witnesses. Mr Aflalo sent 
Mr Jacob’s letter on to me, and Mr Jacob and myself 
had a long correspondence on the matter. Mr Jacob 
has kindly given me permission to make any use I 
deem fit of his letters, and what follows is from the 
correspondence in question. 
1. “In your [ze., Aflalo’s] interesting article you 
appear to hint that the evidence of some reliable 
witnesses would be not altogether unwelcome. 
“T can give you two instances from among my 
near acquaintance. My father-in-law is one instance 
and also a next-door neighbour is another—both in 
a large way of business as farmers, and both well 
known in the East Kent markets. Neither of these 
men was likely to be deceived, and equally also 
neither was likely to deceive in such a matter. Both 
have declared to me in conversation that they have 
distinctly witnessed the act of the young vipers being 
swallowed by the parent, and safely carried off by 
her. Neither knew the other had spoken to me on 
the subject, so there could have been no collusion. 
“But what appears to me to be sufficient evidence 
of the fact is that I have seen it myself. That is to 
say, although L hare not actually witnessed the aet of 
M 
