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 if much 
more satisfactory to use a tool made expressly for the 
purpose, and which costs very httle.* 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. 
