190 BRITISH SERPENTS. 
swallowed their youne ones, we cut her open, and 
found, as J say, thirteen young, about the length of 
my little finger."—T. Morgan, Tresemmy, Grosmont, 
Monmouthshire, June 1900. 
Statement 2.—< A few years ago I disturbed an 
adder in a field near Dineterwood, Ewyas Harold. 
She gave a repeated hissing noise, so I knew there 
were young ones about, as they never hiss more 
than once unless they have young ones with them. 
The repeated hissing is to call the young. She 
then put her lower jaw on the ground, and [ saw 
a number of young ones swallowed. I killed the 
adder, which measured 22 inches in length, and 
found eleven young ones, about 24 inches long, inside 
her.’—Mr Prothero, gamekeeper, Pontrilas, Here- 
fordshire, July 17, 1898. 
Statement 5.—*<Soine years ago I was walking with 
my younger brother to help to eather the cut fern in 
Kentchurch Park. About a yard off the path I saw 
an adder coiled up in the grass in the sun. When I 
stopped 3 or + feet off she lifted up her head, put out 
her tongne, and hissed at us. 1 then saw six young 
ones, which T had not noticed before, wriggle up to 
her. She put her head flat on the surface of the 
ground and opened her mouth, when all six went in. 
The young were about 34 inches long. As soon as 
they were inside her, the mother at once disappeared 
