268 Transactions. 



2. Two years later (1894) Captain Subritzky obtained a 

 second specimen, this time between the Bay of Islands and 

 Mongonui, and also brought it to Auckland, where I had an 

 opportunity of examining it in the flesh. It was considerably 

 larger than the first, the total length being over 7 ft. 



II. Green Turtle (Chelone mydas). 



1. Although I have been assured that the well-known green 

 turtle is not infrequently seen off the coast of the North Auck- 

 land peninsula, I am only acquainted with two undoubted 

 instances of its capture. In the summer of 1885 some Maoris 

 were fishing a little distance inside the entrance to the Manukau 

 Harbour, and, noticing an object floating on the water, pulled 

 up to ascertain what it was. It proved to be a young turtle 

 basking in the sun, fast asleep. Stealthily approaching it, 

 one of them succeeded in harpooning it, when it was easily 

 secured. They brought their prize to Auckland, when I 

 succeeded in purchasing it from them for a few shillings, and 

 the specimen is now in the Museum. As already stated, it is 

 a young individual, its total length being 2 ft. 9 in. 



2. When travelling round the North Cape peninsula in 

 January, 1896, I was shown the carapace of a green turtle which 

 had come ashore a few months previously in Great Exhibition 

 Bay, to the south of Parengarenga Harbour. It was of fair 

 size, the carapace alone measuring nearly 3 ft. in length. 



III. Common Sea-snake {Hydras platurus). 



1. The first occurrence of this species known to me dates 

 from 1868 or thereabouts, when a living specimen came ashore 

 a little to the south of Port Waikato. It was discovered by 

 some Maoris, who were naturally afraid to touch it, but with 

 some little trouble managed to guide it into a discarded 

 Wellington boot. They then took it to Mr. Dashwood, the 

 proprietor of the store at Port Waikato, who secured the speci- 

 men, sacrificing the better part of a bottle of whisky for its 

 preservation. A few months later he gave it to the late Captain 

 Hutton, by whom it was presented to the Auckland Museum, 

 where it still exists. Many years after the capture of the 

 specimen the late Mr. Dashwood gave me a graphic account 

 of the consternation which its arrival created among the Maoris, 

 who were inclined to regard it as a juvenile taniwha. 



2. Another specimen in the Museum was stranded at Port 

 Charles in 1878, and was presented by Mr. J. B. Graham ; 

 I nit I have no further information respecting it. 



3. In 1883 a specimen was picked up on the beach between 



