352 BRITISH SERPENTS. 



whether he should not come under a similar obliga- 

 tion. I think that is a fair and reasonable challenge, 

 and one which will settle the question so far as this 

 individual specimen is concerned, and I only ask that 

 as a condition I be represented at the post-mortem. 



The question put by Mr Farrow as to the adder 

 swallowing its young in times of any approaching 

 danger is too debatable a subject to open up in your 

 columns. All I would like to say on the matter is 

 that I personally do not believe in the statement, 

 and experiments and investigations on that subject 

 have hitherto been negative, although the opinion is 

 common in many parts of the country. 



It might interest Mr Farrow to know that while the 

 blindworm is common in most parts of the Highlands, 

 it is, or was at one time, particularly so in Ailsa Craig, 

 an isolated rock in our firth about eight miles from 

 the mainland, where it grew to a large size, some 

 being 18 inches long. They had abundant food in 

 the large black slug, which is numerous on the Craig ; 

 but the accidental introduction of the rat from a ship- 

 wrecked vessel reduced their numbers considerably, 

 and I do not think the slow-worms are now quite 

 so plentiful. They are such useful creatures to the 

 farmer and agriculturist that I am always pained to 

 see them so often killed and mangled in our glens 

 from ignorant prejudice as to their nature. For over 

 thirty years I have kept and bred them in confine- 

 ment, and always found them gentle, harmless pets. 



