OUTLINES OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRK TUATATIA. 3 



on the voyage, and subsequently we found that much the best 

 way was to pack tlieni, only a few together, in tin cans filled 

 with the coarse brown sand which occurs on the island. Thus 

 packed they travel admirably. I found it quite possible to 

 keep the eggs developing, buried in damp sand after their 

 arrival, but this was attended with considerable risk, as they 

 are very subject to the attacks of mould if ke])t too damp and 

 without sufficient ventilation, while they readily shrivel up if 

 allowed to get too dry. 



The first consignment of eggs was received about the end of 

 January, 1897. Unfortunately the embryos all died, appa- 

 rently from drying up of the eggs, before they reached Christ- 

 church. Nevertheless one advanced embryo, the only one as 

 yet obtained of Stage Q, was removed from the egg in suffi- 

 ciently good condition to be of considerable value. 



I obtained no more eggs that summer, my arrangements 

 being interfered with by a German collector, who visited 

 Stephens Island about the new year, having obtained a recom- 

 mendation to the keeper from the authorities. The only other 

 eggs found that summer were forwarded to him, but I am 

 informed that they perished in transit. 



The next eggs which I received arrived, greatly to my sur- 

 prise, in July, 1897, a season of the year at which we did not at 

 all expect them. They were only three in number, and con- 

 tained very advanced embryos (Stage R) in excellent condition. 



In November, 1897, the work began in earnest, and from 

 that time to the present I have received consis^nments of effffs 

 at more or less frequent intervals. Latterly I have requested 

 Mr. Henaghan, when he finds a nest, to keep the eggs on the 

 island, to continue their development, and send them on to me 

 at intervals in small quantities, a plan which we find to work 

 admirably, and which I regret did not occur to me before, as 

 all the embryos thus obtained have been in much the same 

 advanced stage in development, and some more of the earlier 

 stages would have been more useful. 



The result of our operations, however, has been to secure a 

 magnificent series of embryos, the majority of which hnyo been 



