98 NATURAL HISTORY AND 



interesting subject of thought ; for, although both 

 were situated on the west coast, and flanked by 

 mainland mountains which wooed the Atlantic 

 mists, there was yet a very perceptible difference 

 of climate, which the zoology of the islands quite 

 bears out. 



To begin with the lowest order of animal life, 

 I was much surprised never to have encountered 

 one adder in Bute either last summer or this. In 

 Mull these reptiles perfectly swarm ; and during 

 the dog-days I have counted half-a-dozen in the 

 course of a single forenoon. They seem to thrive 

 as well as multiply many which I stumbled on 

 along the shores of Loch Baa being of immense 

 size. One of these monsters took possession of a 

 dry drain flanked by a stone dyke close to Glen- 

 forsa House. It had been attacked several times, 

 but always contrived to glide into the wall. If 

 the day was warm and sunny, there was the adder 

 on the bank ; but it became so wary, after being 

 occasionally pelted with stones, that on hearing 

 the lightest step it slipped out of sight like magic. 

 I desired my people, by taking a circuit, not to 

 disturb it for a few days, and on a sultry morning 



