BOS BRITISH SERPENTS. 
whether he should not come under a similar obliga- 
tion. I think that is a fair and reasonable challenge, 
and one which will settle the question so far as this 
individual specimen is concerned, and I only ask that 
as a condition I be represented at the post-mortem. 
The question put by Mr Farrow as to the adder 
swallowing its young in times of any approaching 
danger is too debatable a subject to open up in your 
colunns. All I would like to say on the matter is 
that [ personally do not believe in the statement, 
and experiments and investigations on that subject 
have hitherto been negative, although the opinion is 
common in many parts of the country. 
It might interest Mr Farrow to know that while the 
bhudworm is common in most parts of the Highlands, 
it is, or was at one time, particularly so in Ailsa Craig, 
an isolated rock in our firth about eight miles from 
the mainland, where it grew to a large size, some 
being 18 inches long. They had abundant food in 
the large black slug, which is numerous on the Craig; 
but the accidental introduction of the rat from a ship- 
wrecked vessel reduced their numbers considerably, 
and I do not think the slow-worms are now quite 
so plentiful. They are such useful creatures to the 
farmer and agriculturist that IT am always pained to 
see them so often kiNed and mangled in our glens 
from ignorant prejudice as to their nature. For over 
thirty years I have kept and bred them in eontine- 
ment, and always found them gentle, harmless pets. 
