474 Do Snakes Swallow their Young ? [August, 
letter to “ Land and Water” (printed on July 19th), in 
which I said : — ■ 
“ In the event of the present papers finding their way 
back to America, and being so brought before the notice of 
the public as to really interest it, I am satisfied that more 
could be collected from intelligent people in or from country 
places than one would perhaps care to be troubled with.” — 
(P. 1 70 
In regard to his advertisement Mr. Goode said : — 
“ As a result, over eighty letters were received from 
persons in twenty-four States and Provinces, almost every 
one containing valuable evidence. Many of the writers 
seem indignant that a faCt so well known to them should be 
questioned.” — (P. 5.) 
These answers confirmed, in every respeCt, all of what I 
had published in “ Land and Water ” previous to February 
1st, 1873, and after that till the last of them, which was 
dated June 26th, as well as two very important letters, to be 
found in “ Contributions,” pp. 23 and 25 (sent to, but not 
printed in, “ Land and Water ”). 
On July 23rd I wrote “ Land and Water,” with a letter 
of the 21st from Mr. Goode to me, in which he gave the 
result of his advertisement, and said that he intended read- 
ing a paper before the American Association, and asked if 
he might use my name, if necessary, in connection with the 
subject (p. 36). 
On September 10th I sent “ Land and Water ” Mr. Goode’s 
paper, read before the Convention, as taken from the “ New 
York Tribune” of August 27th, in advance of the official 
copy, which was printed in April, 1874, making a page of 
“ Contributions,” with a page of comments (pp. 36 to 38). 
All that I have mentioned appeared in “ Contributions,” 
published in Edinburgh and London in 1875. This work 
was very little noticed. The late “ Dublin University 
Magazine ’’ for July, 1875, said ; — 
“ It is a vexed question whether, under any circumstance, 
the young retreat into the stomach (inside) of the mother 
snake. A great authority (?), Mr. Frank Buckland, affirms 
that they do not, while our author is as positive that they 
do. And he certainly, with reason, contends that the 
question is entirely one of evidence, and therefore should be 
settled * as a faCt is proved in a court of justice ; difficulties, 
suppositions, or theories not being allowed to form part of 
the testimony.’ ... In support of his own views, Mr. 
Simson has collected a large body of evidence that undoubt- 
edly appears, authentic and conclusive.” 
