T. KiifK. — DisjjUicement of Species in New Zealand. 7 



carp {Carassias vulgaris, Nord.), the trotit (Salvia fario, L.), 

 or from other fluviatile species ; but in some locahties eels have 

 increaseri largely from the increased food-supply aiiorded by the 

 trout-fry. In other localities, especially iu deep water, the 

 trout have suffered severely from the attacks of the fiy fungus 

 [Sajjrolegnia ferox, Kutz.), but there is no evidence to show 

 that native fishes have been attacked by the same scourge. 



Amphibia and Eeptilia. 



Very few of the Amphibia and Eeptilia have been intro- 

 duced. A green frog from Australia (Hyla peronii) has become 

 naturalised in many parts of the North Island, and shows a 

 great liking for the young of the smaller nativ'e lizards, which, 

 after considerable effort, are swallowed entire. It may be 

 worth while to mention that some years ago I was shown 

 several specimens of the water-nev.'t {Triton cristatus, L.), said 

 to have been found at the Bay of Islands. It would be 

 interesting to learn by what agency it was introduced, and 

 whether it still survives in that locality. 



Snakes have been introduced into several localities either 

 by accident or design, but, so far, no species has become 

 naturalised. 



The most serious loss amongst the indigenous Eeptilia is 

 the tuatara (Sphenodon punctahtm, Gunth.), which has been 

 all but extirpated on the mainland, chiefly by the agency of 

 the wild pig, the cat, and probably the grey rat. It is still 

 to be found in some quantity on several of the outlying islands. 

 The gecko (Naultinus paciticus) has of necessity decreased 

 with the destruction of forests, although it is still to be found 

 in diminished numbers as far south as the South Cape Island, 

 which is, I believe, the extreme southern limit of Eeptilia. 

 Several of the smaller species have become comparatively 

 rare from the repeated burnings of the taramea and other 

 surface vegetation, which afforded shelter alike to the lizards 

 and the insects and Mollusca, forming their principal food. 



Birds. 



Birds have suffered more severely than any other section 

 of the fauna from the ravages of introduced mammals, in 

 addition to which the burning of the surface vegetation has 

 deprived many species of food and shelter, while in other 

 cases the food-supply has been reduced by insects. Doubt- 

 less a large proportion of the species that have suffered most 

 severely are forms that had lost much of their oiiginal vigour 

 and were gradually dying out ; yet it is most unfortunate that 

 birds of such exceptional interest as the kakapo and kiwi 

 should have their extinction accelerated by the introduction 



