His Researches on Living Reptiles 65 



something much more important than a pastime 

 that he was after ! As in other matters, so here, 

 one gets the best idea as to what was in his mind 

 from the papers he published about these reptiles 

 in the Cape Monthly, etc., and from his letters. 

 In the course of his correspondence with Professor 

 Lartet, there occurs the following letter : 



M To Monsieur Lartet, Museum of Natural 

 History, Paris. 11th June 1870. 



" Sir, — I have lately forwarded to you, in 

 charge of the Rev. L. T. Cachet of the French 

 Mission in Basutoland, who is now en route to 

 Paris, the skin with head and feet attached of a 

 South African terrestrial reptile, the Varanus or 

 Monitor albogularis of Gray, a species of the 

 family of Saurians which, according to a number 

 of authorities, is somewhat closely allied to the 

 ancient colossal reptiles, the Megalosauridae, 

 similar species of which are now found in the 

 Stormberg beds of this district. 



" I hope the specimen may prove interesting 

 and of service, as the reptile was in my possession 

 for 1 70 days, during which period I accumulated 

 certain facts regarding its singular and interesting 

 habits. Since then, the creature having died, I 

 have endeavoured to procure all the information 

 I could concerning it, both fabulous and probable, 

 and I have received some singular accounts on 



