12 Dendv, The ChatJiam Islands. 



most important existing land bird is, perhaps, the pigeon 

 ( CarpopJiaga chatJiaviciisis), and even this is specifically- 

 distinct from the New Zealand form. This bird appears 

 to have formed part of the abundant food supply of the 

 Morioris. 



A very remarkable feature of Chatham Island is the 

 enormous abundance of birds' bones imbedded in the soft 

 or indurated sand dunes and cliffs along the sea shore,, 

 where the conditions appear to be in some unknown 

 manner especially favourable to the preservation of such 

 remains. Amongst these are a flightless rail {DiapJiorap- 

 teryx Jiawkinsi), a coot {PalcBolnunas cJiathaviensis)^ a 

 swamp hen {Pojpkjn'o cJiatJiamoisis), a crow {Corviis 

 inoriomm), and a swan (Cygmis siiinnerensis'). These are 

 all or nearly all extinct at the present clay, and all but the 

 swan, which has been found also in New Zealand, are, so 

 far as I know, peculiar to the Chathams. Like their 

 existing representatives, the kiwis, the moas appear 

 never to have found their way to these islands at all. 



With regard to their reptilian fauna the Chathams 

 offer a striking contrast to the main islands of New 

 Zealand, for whereas we find on the latter a consider- 

 able number of lizards (to say nothing of the remark- 

 able Tuatara, now confined to certain small islets near 

 the mainland), the only reptile found on the Chathams is 

 a solitary species of lizard lately described by Mr. 

 Boulenger under the name Lygosovia dendyz, and most 

 nearly allied to L. luoko of New Zealand. It is a remark- 

 able fact that, though apparently common on Pitt Island, 

 this lizard is not known to occur on Chatham Island 

 proper, its geographical range being perhaps as narrowly 

 restricted as that of Cahalus inodestus. 



As might be expected the amphibia are quite 

 unrepresented on the Chathams, for even in New Zealand 



