﻿HuTTON. — On the Lizards of New Zealand. 167 



The inside layer is totally different, showing an irregular columnar structure, 

 which very easily breaks up (Fig. 2 b). Sections made parallel to the surface 

 of the egg, or at light angles to the columns, show that each column contains 

 many, more or less complete, triangular prisms of carbonate of lime. Under a 

 low power these prisms appear to have a radiating arrangement from a nucleus, 

 and often there are two, three, or four nuclei in each column (Fig. 4), but 

 vinder a higher power this disappears. This appearance is owing to the piisms 

 being collected more thickly in the centre of the column, and to many of the 

 imperfectly formed ones having a well formed apex pointing inwards, while 

 the base of the triangle is undefined, and shades off outwards into a brush of 

 very fine spiculse (Fig. .5). 



The prisms appear to be always triangular, and to vary in section from an 

 equilateral to an isosceles triangle, in which the base is about half the length 

 of one of the sides. These, however, might all be produced by variously 

 inclined sections of an equilateral triangular prism. The length of the sides 

 vary from very small up to 0-003 of an inch, which is the longest that T have 

 measured. 



The egg of the Kiwi (Apteryx) shows none of this prismatic structure, but 

 is in every way similar to that of the common fowl, and we have, therefore, 

 here further evidence that the Moa belongs to the Struthious type, where it 

 has always been placed, while the Kiwi, in the structure of its egg-shell belongs 

 to the Carinate type of birds. 



Note, Aug. 29th, 1871. — Since reading this paper I have found the fol- 

 lowing notice in the "Zoological Record" for 1869, part I., page 103: — 

 " Dinornis. — The strvicture of its egg-shell is essentially similar to that of 

 other Struthiones, and agrees most nearly with Rhea. — W. von ISTathusius, 

 Zeitschr. wissensch. Zool. XX., p. 118." Also on p. 104, '■'■Apteryx, in the 

 structure of its egg-shell, does not much agree with other Struthio7ies." 



Art. XXI. — Notes on the Lizards of New Zealand, with Descriptions of Two 

 Neio Species. By CajDtain F. W. Hutton, F.G.S. 



l^Read hefore the Wellington Philosophical Society, l&th Septeviber, 1871.] 



The following notes embody the results of an examination of the collection 

 of New Zealand lizards in the Colonial Museum, wdiich contains the types of 

 Mr. BuUer's three new species described in the Transactions of the New 

 Zealand Institute, Vol. III., p. 4, etc. 



