"“It is a swamp adder!” cried Holmes; “the deadliest snake in India...."See in text(The Adventure of the Speckled Band)
Cursory research indicates that no such snake exists. Not only is the “swamp adder” an invented species, there are no adders native to India. Herpetologists have suggested that the species that most closely resembled Doyle’s snake is the Indian Cobra, which is adequately speckled and releases a fast-acting neurotoxin. It is unclear whether Doyle was mistaken or chose to have Holmes misidentify the snake.
"In her right hand was found the charred stump of a match, and in her left a match-box.”..."See in text(The Adventure of the Speckled Band)
Julia told her sister that she had been hearing a low whistling sound on several previous nights. On those nights the snake had been in the bed with her without her knowing it. On this last occasion she had evidently kept a match-box handy so that she could strike a light when she heard the whistle. In turning over in bed to reach for the matches, she must have rolled right on top of the snake and gotten bitten. This was the only time she actually saw the creature because it was the only time she had light.
