276 Transactions. — Zoology, 



Sometimes two petrels were inhabiting one side and the tuatara the 

 other, hut I never found two tuataras Hving in the same chamber. I am 

 certain that the tuataras excavate, at least in most cases, the holes they 

 inhabit, as I have watched them doing it ; and, moreover, I found several 

 of them in holes only half finished, without having a bird with them. In 

 another instance when my dog ran after one of these remarkable lizards it 

 buried itself with great celerity in a sandhill. However, I have no doubt 

 that in some instances the tuataras also inhabit holes dug out by the 

 petrels. The difference between the habitations of the latter compared 

 with those of the former is that the petrels excavate their holes on the 

 mainland and the islands under the roots of trees and scrub in rather 

 loose earth, while the tuataras dig in sohd and hard earth, but the form 

 of the passage and of the interior are in both cases nearly alike. As 

 before observed, the petrel is usually on the left side, the tuatara on the 

 right side of the inner chamber ; only in two cases did I find the bird on 

 the right hand side. The tuataras lie also in such a manner that their 

 head is placed where the passage enters the chamber, so that they can 

 defend it. 



On putting one's hand or a stick into the passage the tuatara bites at 

 them furiously. One of them bit me on the finger, and the wound healed 

 very slowly and was rather painful. During the daytime these lizards are 

 seldom met with outside their hole, or should this be the case, never far 

 from its entrance. As soon as they apprehend danger they re-enter imme- 

 diately, or should this not be possible, hide amongst the roots or behind a 

 stone. In that case owing to the pecuHar colour of their skin it is extremely 

 difficult to detect them ; in fact a well-trained dog is wanted for the 

 purpose. They run very fast, and defend themselves with great pluck 

 against dog or man, by biting and scratching. In unearthing them by 

 digging, great care has to be taken, as they very often possess additional 

 passages leading into the inner chamber, by which they are able to save 

 themselves. 



As soon as the sun has set the tuatara leaves its hole to seek its food, 

 consisting of worms, beetles, wetas, etc. It also feeds on the remnants of 

 fishes and crustaceans brought by the petrel into the chamber. During the 

 night a peculiar croaking sound is heard emanating from these lizards, not 

 unlike the grunting of a pig when it is tormented or fiightened ; this is the 

 best time to catch them. I believe that the female of Sphenodon lays its 

 eggs in February, as in January I found in one of them eight full-grown 

 eggs. And I may here mention that I obtained about the same time a 

 young one, eight inches long including the tail. 



