38 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
tion through Ireland. What evidence can he produce that the Ospreys 
shot in Ireland were of Scotch origin, while those shot in England 
were Scandinavian-bred birds? Can he say with equal confidence 
that the near extermination of the Kite in Wales is not caused by the 
action of egg-dealers and collectors? With regard to the alleged 
slaughter of the Ospreys on their passage through Ireland, and 
recorded in the pages of the ‘Ivish Naturalist,’ I have taken a period 
of eleven years, from 1900 up to the past year (1911), and; having 
taken the trouble to examine the pages of that journal for the period 
named, can only find two references to Ospreys—one in the index for 
1908 ; but, although the words, ‘‘ Osprey in Co. Sligo in November,” 
occur, I can find no notes connected with the index in any of that 
year’s numbers. The second reference to the Osprey is in the year 
1909, when a Mr. HendersSon writes that, when fishing on Lough 
Arron, he and his friend ‘‘ saw an Osprey hovering over the lake for 
some time, and then disappeared.” So for the eleven years there is 
no record in the ‘ Irish Naturalist’ of any slaughter of Ospreys! No 
one can regret and reprobate the destruction of our rare breeding 
birds more than I do, but while the dealer’s and collector’s trade 
flourishes, what can be done? A few days ago I received a letter 
from an English dealer, asking me to exchange duplicate eggs, especi- 
ally those of the Falconide. I gave him my usual reply, and for- 
warded the letter to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, 
London, so that they might keep this dealer under observation.— 
Ropert WARREN (Ardnaree, Monkstown, Co. Cork). 
Dl Cpe wal RO = 
Occurrence of Small Red Viper in North Devon.—In June, 1908, 
I captured a specimen of Vipera berus (var. rubra), which Dr. Leighton 
regards (‘British Serpents,’ p. 206) as a valid species. I was walking 
in the Valley of Rocks, Lynton, at the time, and noticed the Viper 
sunning itself. I put my foot onit, and then passed a piece of string 
around its tail. At the end of the string’s length the reptile was 
easily swung against a stone wall and apparently killed; but, on 
pulling it out from my pocket some time later on returning home, I 
was frightened to observe that the animal was very much alive, 
coiling itself up on the floor and hissing furiously. Luckily, the 
string was still attached, and the snake was finally despatched with 
a penknife. It measured 102 in. in total length, the tail being 14 in. 
Stomach empty. The zigzag marking was of a beautiful brick-red 
colour. Not much, apparently, is known regarding the distribution 
of this snake.—Bruce F. Cummines (Barnstaple). 
