SCOTLAND, 351 
in the Highlands. I think I am safe in saying that 
there is no man living better acquainted with the 
natural history of our Highlands than Dr Stewart, 
and I would be pleased if he would give expression 
to his experience and opinion on the dimensions to 
which the adder grows in Scotland. Reverting to 
the former correspondence on that subject, I have 
since then, through the kindness of Mr Wood, the 
present owner, examined the “36-inch adder” for- 
merly referred to by Myr Beattie, and fear that the 
latter gentleman’s memory has for once been faulty. 
The reptile is hermetically sealed in a glass jar, and 
from its appearance I take it to be about 27 inches 
long. Mr Wood is unwilling to have the jar broken, 
and no perfectly accurate measurement can therefore 
be taken in its present situation. It has also been 
submitted to an expert in bottled objects, who after 
measurement stated it to be 28 inches lone; but on 
being asked to be as generous as possible in his 
measurements, said it might be 30 inches, but both 
of us agreed independently of each other that it 
could not possibly be 36 inches long. If the owner 
will allow the jar to be broken and the reptile ac- 
curately measured, I am willing to have it suitably 
remounted for him at my own expense, and if it 
measures 36 inches, as Mr Beattie alleged, will give 
a guinea to any Edinburgh or Glasgow charity which 
he may care to name; but if it does not come up to 
the above dimensions, then I leave it to him to say 
