NOTES ON HAWAIIAN LIZARDS. 



By John Otterbein Snyder, 



Of Stanford University, California. 



During the cruise of the United States Steamer Albatross in 1902, 

 and on other occasions, the writer spent some time in observing the 

 geckos and skinks on several islands of the Hawaiian group. Notes 

 then made relating chiefly to their habits and distribution are here 

 recorded. There is no occasion to attempt adding to the very 

 complete descriptions of the species presented by Doctor Stejneger * 

 in his paper on Hawaiian reptiles, but an observer might profitably 

 employ himself in a study of their habits, Ufe history, and local 

 distribution. The geckos especially, which may be seen almost 

 anywhere, are very pecuhar, interesting, and engaging Httle animals. 

 Considerable variation is found in their anatomical structure, color, 

 and squamation; they live under a variety of conditions, and they 

 may be easily kept in captivity. 



In collecting the geckos a large pair of forceps proved useful, and 

 a small shot-gun served to stop the more nimble and wary skinks. 

 Specimens were dropped at once into a. small quantity of 90 per cent 

 alcohol which contained about 2 per cent formahn. They could then 

 be carried in the jar all day without being affected by the hot, moist 

 atmosphere. Later they were washed for a short time in water, 

 pierced with the scalpel, and gradually hardened in alcohol. 



The little white eggs of the geckos, not unlike those of humming- 

 birds, never fail to attract attention. They are occasionally found 

 after transportation to this country hidden in bunches of bananas 

 or in the packing material of other tropical fruits. They are generally 

 laid in any convenient place which is free from direct light, but 

 they are not buried in the sand or moist earth like those of the 

 skinks. The latter are elongate, pink when fresh, growing dark with 

 the developing embryo. The shell is flexible and contains a rela- 

 tively small amount of lime. 



Gecko eggs are easily hatched if kept in glass-covered boxes away 

 from direct light. As the eggs are more easily found in some places 



I Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 21, 1899, pp. 783-813. A brief paper by Richard C. McGregor deals with 

 the lizards of Maui. (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 28, 1904, pp. 115-118.) 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. 54— No. 2224. 



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