EXAMINATION AND RECORDING OF SPECIMENS. 219 



The preservation and recording of British serpents 

 by field naturalists on the above plan would very soon 

 result in the collection of a vast amount of informa- 

 tion at present unobtainable. Most naturalist societies 

 have museums connected with them where the speci- 

 mens may be deposited, and if not, the curators of 

 county museums would be only too glad to have repre- 

 sentative collections of local reptiles. The great draw- 

 back of specimens killed by keepers and workmen, as 

 a rule, is that they are so smashed as to be useless for 

 preserving. The usual method of killing an adder is 

 by means of the nearest stick that is stout enough for 

 the purpose ; but the field naturalist will find it much 

 more satisfactory to use a tool made expressly for the 

 purpose, and which costs very little.^ It is a long- 

 handled pair of forceps, the blades of the instrument 

 being covered with indiarubber, so that the skin of the 

 reptile is absolutely unharmed. The blades close 

 automatically, so that the adder cannot get away even 

 if the instrument be dropped. The advantage of such 

 a tool is that harmless snakes may be picked up and 

 examined by those who do not care to do so with 

 their hands, and the snake set at liberty afterwards 

 unharmed ; or if a venomous species be captured, 

 it can be disposed of carefully without injuring it 

 for preservation. 



^ This instrument was made from my instructions by Messrs 

 Watkins & Doncaster, London, and answers its purpose admirably. 



