NOTES ON THE SCOTTISH ADDER 217 



"some imported Red Grouse this last season (1901) with the object 

 of improving and strengthening the breed." This is an example 

 which ought to be followed by others. 



Mr. C. V. A. Peel speaks of it as " on the decrease," and as 

 " larger and redder than those of the mainland." 



WATER-RAIL (Rallns aquaticus), p. 1 21. Since our "Fauna of the 

 Outer Hebrides " was issued, several more records of Water-rails have 

 reached me, and the farthest south records are again from Monach 

 Isles. But its status can scarcely yet be fully valuated. Mr. 

 M'Elfrish sends me the following instructive notes on their occur- 

 rences in North Uist : " In my opinion," he says, " it is most decidedly 

 rare. In the past fifteen years I suppose I must have searched 

 almost every likely place in North Uist and Benbecula with setters, 

 pointers, retrievers, and spaniels ; and have only found two. The 

 first was in November in Benbecula, in a ditch by the roadside, 

 near Grogary, and the other was on Ben Lee, in North Uist. I also 

 remember Sheriff Webster shooting one about ten years ago, and I 

 understood from him that it was the only one he had seen." 



One is recorded by Mr. Radclyffe Waters from Lewis, October i, 

 1891. 



(To be continued.} 



NOTES ON THE SCOTTISH ADDER. 

 By SURGEON-GENERAL BIDIE, C.I.E. 



IN the interesting notice in the April number of the " Annals," 

 by Dr. Leighton, on the Serpents of Scotland, he propounds 

 various questions regarding the habits, varieties, etc., of 

 Vipera berus, which no doubt will in due course find copious 

 replies now that attention has been directed to these points. 

 Although widely distributed in Scotland, there are various 

 districts in which the Adder is rare or unknown, and this, 

 coupled with its retiring habits and often remote haunts, has 

 prevented much attention being paid to it by naturalists and 

 others. As a matter of fact, the first impulse of the ordinary 

 man on the moor, on seeing a Viper, is to kill and throw it 

 aside, and instead of making notes on it, he congratulates 

 himself on having put a dangerous creature out of the way of 

 doing mischief. As regards the other indigenous snakes of 

 Great Britain, it may be stated with almost absolute con- 



