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THE ADDER, 
680 millimetres (tail 70), female, from Crowborough, Sussex. 
630 iy Ca Gb)e. i it i" " 
630 " (1 65), " » Cromlin, N.B. 
620 " Coo FON " 1 Lowestoft. 
600 " (1 80), male, 1 Crowborough. 
590 " ( 1 80), " 1 Cromlin. 
590 " (1 85), " 1 Lowestoft. 
Our largest Continental adder measures 700 milli- 
metres. It is, therefore, | inch short of 28 inches.” 
This is a very important point, as the general idea 
of the size of the adder is that it is seldom more 
than 18 inches lone. IT remember a gentleman once 
solemnly assuring me that any snake in this country 
which measured over 18 inches was perfectly harm- 
less, and must be a rine snake, which seems to be 
the usual, but erroneous, idea, and, moreover, a 
somewhat dangerous one if put into practice. It 
must always be remembered that not every adder 
seen is an adult; and it is probably true to say that 
if an adder be killed measuring less than 18 inches, 
it is a youne one, the parents of which, could they 
be compared with it, would be found to measure 
several inches more. Another point i connection 
with the size is that the female adder in any given 
locality averages from half an inch to an inch and 
a half more than the male in length. 
2. Markings. —The markings of adders are very 
well defined, and serve at once to distinguish them 
from the two innocuous serpents. These markings are 
seen to perfection in a young adult male just after 
