GAKMAN: the reptiles of EASTER ISLAND. 7 



sundown, appearing suddenly and vanishing with daylight," and which 

 compelled other visitors to stuff their ears with paper. 



Confining attention exclusively to the reptiles, it is found that besides 

 the snake and the lizards collected by the " Albatross " there are five or 

 six that may reasonably be expected to figure in later reports. Of these 

 the larger not uncommon variety of lizard is the most indefinite and 

 uncertain. The other four or five are marine tortoises. What is 

 known of the wanderings of these creatures leads to anticipation of the 

 discovery of any or all of the species of the Central Pacific at one time 

 or another on Easter Island. Apparently the notices quoted above 

 indicate that by one or more of the species the island has been adopted 

 as a breeding-place, and that the return to it is regular at a particular 

 season of the year. Unless there are grassy feeding-places near enough 

 in the vicinity the species of the genus Chelonia will probably not be 

 of the regular visitors but of the erratic and accidental. lu compiling 

 the list of species to be expected, those recently described from the 

 Chilian coasts by Dr. Philippi have not been introduced, one reason being 

 that they have not been sufficiently distinguished from the species of 

 the Middle Pacific, and another being the unlikelihood of any species cross- 

 ing from the South American shores through the Humboldt current, 900 

 miles in width, setting to the northward, and the additional 1200 miles 

 of barren, comparatively foodless waters, pointed out by Mr, Alexander 

 Agassiz, making more than 2000 miles separating the continent and the 

 Galapagos islands, on east and north, from Easter Island. Atlantic 

 species of these tortoises have not yet been shown to be able to pass 

 either Magellan's Strait or south of the Cape, while it is to be expected 

 tljat species from the Panamic region work their way southward along 

 the coasts of America, reasons both for hesitation in regard to acceptance 

 of Dr. Philippi's species as different from the Polynesian species until 

 proved to be distinct by close comparisons. 



Including the tortoises, the Easter Island Eeptilia belong to the 

 Chelonia, the Ophidia, and the Sauria. 



