JNTR OD UCTION. 1 1 



name moccasin is a common vernacular, first and chiefly 

 applied to a really dangerous viper, Ancistrodon pugnax or 

 piscivortis, the one, most likely, that ^ve saw in the wood ; 

 and secondly, to a number of harmless snakes which are 

 supposed to be dangerous, and of which those at the Gardens, 

 Tropidonotus fasciattis, are among the latter. Thus at the 

 very outset the puzzles began. 



Nevertheless, after some research I learnt enough of snake 

 nature to feel safe in proceeding with my book oi Adventures, 

 and in presenting it to a publisher. 



'As a gift-bock no one would look at it, and as an 

 educational work there would be no demand for it,' was its 

 encouraging reception. 



This was about ten years ago ; and so far from inducing 

 me to relinquish the subject, I began to aspire to become a 

 means of assisting to overcome these prejudices. For the 

 space of two years the anticipated 'sequel' to my Ame^'ican 

 Pets went the round of the London publishers of juvenile 

 works, and to several in Scotland. It was read by many of 

 them, who professed to have been unexpectedly and ' ex- 

 tremely interested' in it — ' bnt' — none could be persuaded to 

 ' entertain so repulsive a subject.' One member of a publish- 

 ing house distinguished for the high standard of its literature, 

 positively admitted among his insurmountable objections, 

 that when a child his mother had never permitted him to 

 look through a certain favourite volume late in the day, 

 'for fear the pictures of snakes in it should prevent his 

 sleeping! ' 



An editor of a magazine told me he should lose his 

 subscribers if he put snakes in its pages ; and another made 



