THE SHORT-TOED LIZARD 



375 



its ground-colour of grey to a pink-red. and this it does sometimes 

 three or four times a day ; the caiLse, however, of its doing so is 

 entirely nnl^nown to me. I have often tried, by altering its 

 position as to light, and to snn heat, and also by giving it a little 

 gentle shaking, to see if I could cause it to change colour, but I 

 have never once succeeded. It seems to be entirely dependent on 

 itself, and not arising from any outside cause, nor from the time 

 of dav, neither is it regular in its changes." 



Long-toed Lizard. 



(Brit. Mus. Cat.) 



The Short-toed Lizard. 



Dactylocnemis maculatus. 



Brown above, with small blackish spots and more or less distinct, 

 irregular transverse dark-brown bands on the back and tail; a dark streak 

 passing through the eye; sometimes a broad light band on each side of 

 the back. Under surface dirty white. Toes considerably dilated; length 

 of the narrow part, one-fourth of the whole. Length, about 6 inches, of 

 -which the tail forms rather more than half. South Island and Stephen 

 Island. 



This is the common brown gecko of the South Island, where it 

 is found generally in the bush, but not uncommonly under stones, 

 especially where bush has formerly existed. Nothing has been 

 recorded about its habits. 



