NOTES ON THE COMMON ADDER IN THE HIGHLANDS 151 



house of Eilan Ghlaiss, August 14, 1897 ("Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist." 

 1898, p. 211). 



KINGFISHER (Akedo ispida), p. 75. Only on one occasion did 

 Dr. M'Rury see a Kingfisher in Barra, viz. on July 25, 1892. 



CUCKOO (Cuculus canorns], p. 75. I cannot help thinking that 

 the Cuckoo has increased considerably throughout the isles since 

 we wrote in 1888. At all events, it is now reported as seen 

 every year on all the islands of the group by more than one 

 correspondent. In this statement I am not taking any notice 

 of the migration at, or past, lighthouses. 



(To be continued.'] 



NOTES ON THE COMMON ADDER IN THE 



HIGHLANDS. 



By LIONEL W. HINXMAN, B.A., F.R.S.E. 



DURING twenty years surveying in different parts of the 

 Northern Highlands I have had many opportunities of 

 observing the nature and habits of the Common Adder, 

 Vipera berus. I am also indebted for some interesting facts 

 to my friend and colleague, Mr. B. N. Peach, F.R.S., and to 

 Mr. Dugald Campbell, head stalker in the Strathconon 

 Forest, a keen and accurate observer. 



I therefore venture to contribute a few notes on some of 

 the points raised by Dr. Leighton in his valuable paper in 

 the last number of the " Annals." 



Adders taking to Water. On more than one occasion I 

 have seen the Adder take voluntarily to the water. One 

 instance I particularly recall. Bathing one very hot day in 

 July 1884 in a West Sutherland loch, near Cape Wrath, I 

 met an Adder swimming some distance from the shore. 

 I followed him at a safe interval, and when we both landed, 

 slew him from afar with a stone, not caring to come to close 

 quarters in my peculiarly defenceless condition. 



Mr. Peach tells me that he has seen Adders swimming, 

 and that they are fond of lying on the wet mossy rocks 

 near a fall, fully exposed to the spray. 



A large trout killed some years ago in Loch Ericht 



