SCOTLAND. 351 



in the Highlands. I think I am safe in saying that 

 there is no man living better acquainted with the 

 natural history of our Highlands than Dr Stewart, 

 and I would be pleased if he would give expression 

 to his experience and opinion on the dimensions to 

 which the adder grows in Scotland. Eeverting to 

 the former correspondence on that subject, I have 

 since then, through the kindness of Mr Wood, the 

 present owner, examined the "36-inch adder" for- 

 merly referred to by Mr Beattie, and fear that the 

 latter gentleman's memory has for once been faulty. 

 The reptile is hermetically sealed in a glass jar, and 

 from its appearance I take it to be about 27 inches 

 long. Mr Wood is unwilling to have the jar broken, 

 and no perfectly accurate measurement can therefore 

 be taken in its present situation. It has also been 

 submitted to an expert in bottled objects, who after 

 measurement stated it to be 28 inches long; but on 

 being asked to be as generous as possible in his 

 measurements, said it might be 30 inches, but both 

 of us agreed independently of each other that it 

 could not possibly be 36 inches long. If the owner 

 will allow the jar to be broken and the reptile ac- 

 curately measured, I am willing to have it suitably 

 remounted for him at my own expense, and if it 

 measures 36 inches, as Mr Beattie alleged, will give 

 a guinea to any Edinburgh or Glasgow charity which 

 he may care to name ; but if it does not come up to 

 the above dimensions, then I leave it to him to say 



