476 Do Snakes Swallow their Young ? [August, 
have availed himself of. Even in the remarks (which could 
not be called a discussion) at the Convention there is much 
error, especially when allusion is made to young snakes 
being found in the throat or stomach of the mother, and to 
the gastric juice of the old one ; for in my first letter I said 
that the — 
“ Eggs were in a chamber of much greater height and 
width than was necessary to hold them, — something appa- 
rently distinct from the stomach proper, — and doubtless the 
receptacle for the young after being hatched outside, and 
which could be greatly expanded, according to the nature of 
snakes.” — (P. io.) 
And in my second letter, in regard to the viper, I said : — 
“ If it can be demonstrated that she is even semi- oviparous, 
in the proper sense of the word, then it necessarily follows 
that she is a ‘ swallower,’ since she is found with young 
inside of her.” — (P. 16.) 
And in my comments on Mr. Goode’s paper I said : — 
“ As in mathematics we require to know some things to 
demonstrate others, so in snakes swallowing their young it 
is not necessary for a man of science, or common sense, if 
he will but exercise it, to see it done in order to believe it ; 
but when ocular testimony is added it sets the question at 
rest beyond all doubt.” — (P. 38.) 
On this head I wrote, in the Introduction to “ Contribu- 
tions,” — 
“ Intelligent and ingenious people generally prefer to see 
an idea started and elucidated, with, all the circumstances 
attending it — as some enjoy the breaking away of a fox, and 
being well up with the hounds, and in at the death — rather 
than have the dry result of an inquiry stated to them ; for 
then they become, as it were, investigators along with him 
who makes it, while the particulars give them detailed and 
positive evidence of the conclusions arrived at.” — (P. 3.) 
White, in his “ Natural History of Selborne,” wrote as 
follows : — 
“ It is no small undertaking for a man, unsupported and 
alone, to begin a natural history from his own autopsia. 
Though there is endless room for observation in the field of 
Nature, which is boundless, yet investigation (where a man 
endeavours to be sure of his faCts) can make but slow pro- 
gress ; and all that one could collect in many years would 
go into a very narrow compass.” 
As a comment on this I said : — 
“ As a general thing, a knowledge of the habits of snakes, 
more than perhaps any other animal, can be acquired only 
