SCOTLAND. 349 



Its hissing was easily heard ; but it was soon out 

 on the hard causeway and despatched quickly. I 

 was young, and glad to get away from it, and don't 

 know what was done with it. It was not likely 

 to be preserved, at any rate. The box part of the 

 dogcart was large and deep, constructed for carrying 

 large parcels. — I am, &c, E. E. Porteous. 



Glasgow, Junt 27, 1900. 



Sir, — There are some discrepancies in "Your 

 Correspondent's ' : letter. He says the report did 

 not say that the snake originally referred to was 

 an adder. In those reports which I saw it was 

 called an adder, and the " slayer of the serpents," 

 with whom I communicated, distinctly affirms that 

 it was, so that the whole point at issue was the 

 length. As both he and " Your Correspondent " says 

 it was not measured, except by the rough-and-ready 

 one with the " slayer's " boots, we have no accurate 

 evidence as to the reptile's length. The other snakes 

 which " Your Correspondent ' : says " are known in 

 the Highlands" have yet to be identified, and all the 

 statements which from time to time have appeared 

 have on investigation been found to be untrust- 

 worthy. There are only three species of snakes found 

 in the British Isles — the adder or viper ( Vipera herus), 

 the ringed snake (Tropidonotus natrix), and the smooth 

 snake (Coronella austriaca). The adder is our only 

 Highland snake, and as the second named, which is 



