OF SELBORNE. 
211 
To a thinking mind nothing is more wonderful than that early 
inftind which impreffes young animals with the notion of the fitua- 
tion of their natural weapons, and of ufing them properly in their 
own defence, even before thofe weapons fubfift or are formed. 
Thus a young cock will fpar at his adverfary before his fpurs are 
grown ; and a calf or a lamb will pufli with their heads before their 
horns are fprouted. In the fame manner did thefe young adders 
attempt to bite before their fangs were in being. The dam how- 
ever was furnifhed with very formidable ones, which we lifted up 
(for they fold down when not ufed) and cut them off with the point 
of our fciffars. 
There was little room to fuppofe 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 fhe perceived that danger was approaching; 
becaufe then probably we fliould have found them fomewhere in the 
neck, and not in the abdomen* 
E e a 
LETTER 
