Reptiles and Batrachians of the Edinburgh District. 507 
in 1892, and that about five years ago a young one was 
caught among heather in Megget. The latter may, however, 
have been a Slow-worm. 
In the parish of Temple, in the southern portion of Mid- 
lothian and towards the foot of the Moorfoot Hills, it would 
appear still to linger in one or two suitable spots. Mr James 
Low, schoolmaster, Temple, tells me that on 15th June 1879 
(the day the Edinburgh Waterworks at Gladhouse were 
opened), he and a friend discovered two, an old one and a 
young one, the latter of which they killed, lying in the sun 
on a piece of moorland belonging to the farm of Yorkston ; 
and Mr James Mitchell, Rosebery, writes that he knows 
of three others having been killed in the same quarter—one 
on Side Moor, one on Yorkston farm, and one on Mauldslie 
farm. These, he adds, were all true adders, from 20 inches 
to 2 feet long. 
Throughout the greater part of the Lammermoors, adders 
are still fairly common. I have myself killed them on the 
shingle by the Whitadder, near Johnscleugh, and several 
informants have reported them from other parts of that hill- 
country. Mr James Caverhill, in an interesting letter on the 
subject, says,—“ The country round about Crichness is, full 
of ‘Ethers. They are to be met with everywhere, but most 
frequently in gullies where the heather is grown-up and 
exposed to the sun, and also on rocky brae-sides with a 
southern aspect.” On a certain rocky face he could under- 
take to kill a dozen in a suitable day. Taking the country | 
generally, a shepherd might kill twenty to thirty in a season. 
When he lived on the farm two or three sheep (out of a 
flock of about 3000) were “stung” each year, usually either 
on the udder or on the lip. A specimen (female) since 
received from Crichness measures 244 inches, and weighs 
43 oz. (134 grammes). 
Dr Hardy, who has long been collecting information 
and anecdotes regarding the viper in the Border counties, 
which I hope we may soon see published in the Proceedings 
of the Berwickshire Naturalists’ Club, writes me, under date 
22nd February 1893, as follows :—< No East Lothian notes, 
except that at Caldra shepherd’s house, at foot of Spartleton, 
