deposits and snlpliur crusts, and tlie atmosphere impregnated with sulphuretted 

 hydrogen. 



The law of assimilative colouring, which, by afFoi-ding protection to other- 

 wise defenceless species, plays an important part in the struggle for life that 

 is ever going on around us, is thus exemplified in the present instance. — The 

 bright green tints of Ncmltinus elegans, enable it almost to defy detection 

 amidst the evergreen foliage of L&ptospermivm and other shrubs ; the marbled 

 brown skin of N. pacificus is peculiarly adapted for concealment, as it clings 

 motionless to the bark of a tree or hides in the crevices ; and, in like mannei", 

 the colour of N. siolphureus seems specially fitted for a lizard inhabiting a 

 sulphur-crusted and pumicestone region like the one described by Hochstetter. 



12. Naultinus granulatus, Gray. 



Pale brown, with irregular darker cross bands, with white edges in front ; 

 scales granular, moderate, those of under side larger ; labial shields gradually 

 smaller. 



This species was originally noticed by Dr. Gray {App. Dieff. N.Z.), as a 

 mere variety of Naultinus pacificus^ but he has since admitted it to a distinct 

 rank. The form appears to me of very doubtful specific value. 



Naultinus hrevidactylus and N. imaculatus (Gray, MSS.) are probably mere 

 varieties of the typical species, which is subject to much valuation. 



Genus Sphenodon. 



13. Sphenodon p>unctatum, '^(i\sit&c (^ = Hatteria p)unctata, Gray). 



Olivaceous brown ; sides and limbs with minute white specks ; beneath 

 yellowish grey ; the spines of the nuchal and dorsal crests yellow, of the caudal 

 brown ; scales of the back, head, tail and limbs small, granular, nearly 

 uniform ; the irregular folds of the skin fringed at the top with a series of 

 rather large scales ; an obliqu.e ridge of large scales on each side of the base 

 of the tail, and a few shorter longitudinal ridges of rather smaller ones on each 

 side of the upper part of the tail. 



The sexes vary both in size and colour. The male is considerably smaller 

 than the female, and the skin is of a brighter olive, yellowish on the under 

 parts. 



In the Pliilosopliical Transactions for 1867, there is a very elaborate and 

 exhaustive paper by Dr. Albert Gunther, on the anatomy of this species; and 

 an interesting paper on the same siibject, by Dr. Knox, appears in the 

 Transactions of the New Zealand Institute., 1869. 



This is the Tuatara or Tuatete of the natives. I had a pair of live ones 

 in my possession for many months, but could never induce them to eat. They 

 were sluggish in their movements, and when molested uttered a low, croaking 

 note. The male measured 1 Scinches, and the female 16 inches. They were 



c 



