348 BRITISH SERPENTS. 



53 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, June 22, 1900. 

 Sir, — Having the adder referred to by Mr George 

 Beattie in to-day's 'Scotsman' in my possession, I 

 shall be glad to show it to any one interested who 

 cares to call at my address here. — I am, &c. 



Wm. T. Wood. 



Joppa, June 22, 1900. 



Sie, — More than once I have seen discussions as 

 to the size of adders, confining the extreme length 

 to about 26 or 28 inches. Doubtless there are not 

 many larger in the present time, but Mr Beattie's 

 letter in your issue of to-day, stating that he had 

 caught one in 1867 near Callander 36 inches long, 

 confirms my memory of one which, though not 

 measured at the time, so far as I remember, I have 

 always considered was from 33 to 36 inches in length. 

 When a boy in 1849 I was driving from Haddington 

 to Duns across the Lammermoors, and approaching 

 near Longformacus, found sunning itself at the side 

 of the road what looked a large reptile. The groom 

 lashed it well with the butt -end of his whip until 

 it seemed dead. We then got it thrown into the 

 back of the dogcart, fastening the door. Arriving 

 at Duns, we soon found from its movements that 

 the adder was alive, and opened the door cautiously. 

 Several people had collected. It had raised itself 

 until its head and neck were stretched along the top 

 of the machine and its tail part along the bottom. 



