Reischek. — On Sphenodon punctatum. 109 



insectivorous food is plentiful, which they prefer even in confine- 

 ment, they will not prey on birds. 



On my visit to Karewa Island, at the beginning of this 

 year, with Professors Parker and Thomas, I saw many young 

 birds with their heads off. Professor Thomas got one of these 

 lizards with a bird in its mouth, and I followed one which had 

 a bird of considerable size in its mouth ; it tried to escape in a 

 burrow, but got stuck at the entrance. They catch the bird by 

 its head, and then chew until it is devoured. My opinion is that, 

 as this island is so small, and these lizards so numerous, this 

 is the reason they prey upon birds. They live there along with 

 Puffinus brevicaudus, on which, though it is a digression, you will 

 allow me to make a few remarks. This species of Puffin is 

 numerous on Karewa during the breeding season. In the day- 

 time only single specimens, and their young, remain on the 

 island, but in the evening we saw flocks of thousands of these birds 

 circling round the camp. They seemed rather surprised to find 

 a solitary habitation occupied. After sunset they settled on the 

 ground, in some places so thickly that one could hardly walk 

 without treading on them ; instead of going out of the way, they 

 defended themselves by biting, they even came into our tent, 

 and we were obliged to throw them out and shut it up ; then 

 they burrowed in underneath. When preparing tea, one gentle- 

 man had to watch and keep them off the fire, and, when frying 

 fish, they actually walked through the frying-pan. The variety 

 of their vocal powers was most amusing, and when they joined 

 in chorus it was deafening. One night I went into the bush 

 with a light for the purpose of observation : a whole flock of 

 these birds flew at me and knocked the light out of my hand ; I 

 did not allow my dog to touch them ; they went on his back, 

 walked over him, and sat alongside of him. These birds are 

 very vicious when molested. Leaving Karewa and coming back 

 to Hauturu Island, on my second and seasonal researches, I 

 examined the whole island ; on the eastern part I found a few 

 Tuataras, but they are very rare. These lizards differ from the 

 common Tuatara, in colour, form, scales, and touch of the skin. 



The colour of the common Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatum) is : 

 top of head, upper part, and sides, from dark to greenish grey, 

 spotted with greyish white ; throat, slate grey ; abdomen, greyish 

 white ; the claws are tinged with yellowish green. The crest on 

 the nape and back is very prominent, the spines are softer and 

 fiat in form, the scales and skin are coarse to the touch. The 

 size is according to the age, from 3 inches to 2 feet long ; the 

 head 25 inches in length, 1-25 in width ; the front leg, 3-5 to the 

 tip oi toe ; hind leg, 45. The brick-red variety, which I found on 

 Hauturu Island: colour, top of the head, back, and sides, light 

 brick-red with brown bars ; an elongated brown band on each 

 side of the neck ; and over the chest, throat, sides of the face, 



