152 Prof. A. P. W. Thomas. [June 12, 



III. " On a new Group of Lines in the Photographic Spectrum 

 of Sirius." By WILLIAM HUGGINS, D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S., 

 and Mrs. HUGGINS. Received April 25, 1890. 



[Publication deferred.] 



IV. "Preliminary Note on the Development of the Tuatara 

 (Sphenodon punctatum)" By Professor A. P. W. THOMAS, 

 M.A., F.L.S., F.G.S., University College, Auckland, N.Z. 

 Communicated by Professor E. RAY LANKESTER, F.R.S. 

 Received May 19, 1890. 



A grant was made by the Royal Society in the year 1884 to Pro- 

 fessor J. T. Parker, of Dunedin, for the study of the development of 

 j^pteryx, Sphenodon and Callorhynclius. As Sphenodon does not 

 occur near Dunedin, but is found chiefly on outlying islands belong- 

 ing to the province of Auckland, at the opposite end of the colony, 

 Professor Parker invited me to join him in the investigation of this 

 form. 



We gathered from what had been written on the natural history 

 of the tuatara, as well as from oral information obtained from those 

 who were best acquainted with the New Zealand fauna, that the 

 month of February was probably the time at which the tuatara 

 bred. 



We therefore started from Auckland at the beginning of February, 

 1885, for what appeared the most promising hunting-ground the 

 island of Karewa, some ten miles from Tamanga, in the Bay of Plenty. 

 Mr. A. Reisohek, a naturalist well known by his researches on the 

 natural history of New Zealand, who had already had opportunities 

 of observing the tuatara, was good enough to accompany us. 



The island of Karewa is situated some four miles from the main- 

 land ; it is little more than a rock which rises with precipitous sides 

 high above the sea. At one spot only can a landing be effected, as 

 the island is exposed to the ocean swell rolling in from the open 

 Pacific, whilst the shores are for the greater part formed by unscal- 

 able cliffs of rhyolitic rock. Our first attempt at landing was frus- 

 trated by the swell, but a day later a second attempt was successful. 

 The vegetation on the island is largely composed of small karaka 

 trees and thickets of coprosma. The light, loose soil between the 

 roots of trees and the rocks is mined by countless burrows, in which 

 live mutton-birds (Puffi.nus tenuirostris) and tuataras. 



On the " Chicken Islands " the tuataras have been described by 

 Mr. Reischek as living with certain other sea-birds, namely, another 



