272 Transactions. — Zoology. 



Distribution. — Common in the South Island ; also on 

 Stephens Island. Hutton. 



Hoplodactylus pacificus, Gray. 



Naultinus pacificus, Gray, Cat., p. 169. Naultinus pacificus, 

 Gray, in Dieffenb. New Zealand, ii., p. 203; Buller, 

 T.N.Z.I., iii., 1871, p. 7; Hutton, T.N.Z.I., iv., 1872, 

 p. 172. Platydactyhts j^acifictis, A. Dum., Cat. Meth. 

 Eept.,p. 35, and Archiv. Mus.,viii., p. 455. Hoplodactylus 

 pomani, Girard, Proc. Ac. Philad., 1857, p. 197, and U.S. 

 Exploring Exped., Herp., p. 294, pi. xviii., figs. 10-16. 

 Dactylocneviis pacificus (Fitz.), Steindachner, "Novara" 

 Eept., p. 11., pi. i., fig. 1. Hoplodactylus pacificus, Gray, 

 Boulenger Cat., i., p. 173. 



" Head oviform ; snout distinctly longer than the distance 

 between the eye and the ear-opening, once and two-thirds the 

 diameter of the orbit ; forehead slightly concave ; ear-opening 

 rather large, oval, oblique, half or three-fifths the diameter of 

 the eye. Body and limbs rather slender. Digits not much 

 dilated, the width of the dilated part being one-third the length 

 of the same ; the length of the slender distal part equals one- 

 third the length of the digit, and is consequently much 

 greater than the width of the dilated part ; the anterior 

 inferior lamellae slightly angular ; ten to twelve lamellae 

 under the fourth toe ; a distinct web at the base of the digits, 

 absent between the two outer toes. Head covered with 

 granular scales, minute on the posterior half, considerably 

 larger on the snout. Eostral broad, subquadrangular or sub- 

 pentagonal, with trace of median cleft above ; nostril pierced 

 between the rostral, the first upper labial, and four or five 

 small nasals ; eleven or twelve upper and nine or ten lower 

 labials ; mental small, trapezoid or triangular, generally 

 followed by a small median chin-shield ; small irregular chin- 

 shields passing gradually into the minute granules of the 

 throat. Dorsal scales minutely granular ; abdominal scales 

 very small, juxtaposed or subimbricate. Three or four short 

 angular series of praeanal pores, forming together a small sub- 

 triangular patch ; twenty to thirty-five pores altogether. Tail 

 cylindrical, tapering, covered with small equal subquadrangular 

 juxtaposed scales arranged in verticils ; the base of the tail 

 strongly swollen in the males, the swollen part covered with 

 larger scales. Brown above, with irregular transverse bands 

 on the back and tail, and frequently a dark band on each side, 

 commencing from the tip of the snout and passing through 

 the eye and above the ear ; a short, dark, oblique streak 

 directed posteriorly from the inferior border of the eye ; lower 

 surfaces whitish, immaculate. 



" Total length, 163mm. ; head, 20mm. ; width of head, 



