444 ANIMAL LIFE-HISTORIES 



Reptiles are for the most part oviparous, and their eggs 

 contain a great deal of food-yolk. Protection is afforded by a 

 tough or it may be calcareous shell. The group is not specially 

 interesting in the present connection, but it will be worth while 

 to briefly review the five orders in which all living species are 

 included, i.e. — Tuataras (Rhynchocephala), Snakes (Ophidia), 

 Lizards (Lacertilia), Turtles and Tortoises (Chelonia), and 

 Crocodiles (Crocodiles). 



Tuataras (Rhynchocephala). — The only living representative 

 of this ancient and once extensive order is the Tuatara [Hatieria 

 punctata) of New Zealand, which lives on some of the small 

 islands in the Bay of Plenty. It digs a burrow in the ground, 

 afterwards adding a lining of grass and other plants. This dwell- 

 ing is not, however, used as a nest, a hole being scooped in the 

 sand for the reception of the eggs, which thus have the benefit of 

 the sun's heat. They are about ten in number, and closely 

 resemble those of birds. The young hatch out some thirteen 

 months afterwards, but the actual development only takes about 

 half of this long period, the rest of the time being spent in a 

 dormant condition. 



Snakes (Ophidia). — The large majority of these creatures lay 

 soft-shelled eggs, which are commonly deposited in earth or among 

 decaying vegetable matter, where the heat generated by the 

 processes of fermentation accelerates the development, which is 

 also furthered by the sun's warmth. Manure -heaps are much 

 favoured for this purpose by our native Grass Snake {Tropidonotus 

 natiHx), as may be illustrated by the following extract from Frank 

 Buckland [Log-Book of a Fisherman and Zoologist): — "Just as 

 I had put the lizard into a bag, I heard the squire's voice signal- 

 ling me from the distance. He apologized for my want of sport 

 in my snaking expedition, but at the same time he delighted me 

 by promising to guide me at once to a dung-heap, where it was 

 reported that some snakes had laid their eggs. This dung-heap 

 was situated in the middle of a yard where the cows lived in the 

 winter, and was just the very place snakes would choose to lay 

 their eggs. The keeper got a dung-fork, and diligently turned over 

 the straw at the top, while the squire and I worked away at the 

 sides of the dung-heap. ... I was dreadfully afraid we should draw 

 the dung-hill blank, but at last I gave a view holloa, when, under- 

 neath a bit of the straw, I saw something of a milk-white colour. 



