CH.\r. XIX.] 



REPTILES. 



405 



Order III.—BHYNCOGEPHALINA. 



Family 53.— EHYNCOCEPHALTD.E. (1 Genus, 1 Species.) 



Gexeral Distribution. 



Neotropical 

 Sub-regions. 



Nearctic I Pal.e:arctic 

 Sub-regions. Sub-regions. 



Ethiopian 

 Sub-regions. 



Oriental 

 Sub-regions. 



Australian 

 Sub-regions. 



The singular and isolated genus Hattcria — the " Tuatara " or 

 fringed lizard — whicli alone constitutes this family, has peculiari- 

 ties of structure which separate it from both lizards and crocodiles, 

 and mark it out as an ancestral type, as distinct from other living 

 reptiles as the Marsupials are from other Mammalia. It is con- 

 fined to New Zealand, and is chiefly found on small islands near 

 the north-east coast, being very rare, if not extinct, on the main 

 land. A fossil reptile named Hypcrodaipcdon, of Triassic age, has 

 been found in Scotland and India, and is supposed by Professor 

 Huxley to be more nearly allied to Hattcria than to any other 

 living animal. 



Order IV.—CROCODILIA. 

 Family 54.— G A VI ALII) .E. (2 Genera, 3 Species.) 



The Gavials are long-snouted Crocodiles Math large front teeth, 

 and canines fitting in notches of the upper jaw. They consist 

 of two genera, Gavialisil sp.), inhabiting the Ganges ; I'omi^toma 

 (2 sp.), found in the rivers of Borneo and North Australia. 



