REPTILES. 
27 
The specimens brought home by Mr. Darwin were from Port Desire, in 
Patagonia, and the following observations occur in his MS. notes : — “ Centre of 
the back yellowish brown, sometimes with a strong tinge of dark green ; sides 
clouded with blackish brown ; in very great numbers under stones ; makes a 
grating noise when taken hold of; after death loses its darker colours. 
“ A specimen being kept for some days in a tin box, changed colour into an 
uniform grey, without the black cloudings. I thought I noticed some change 
after catching and bringing home these animals, but could observe no instan- 
taneous change.” 
I have considered these specimens as belonging to the species to which I 
have assigned them, because they exactly agree with Mons. Bibron’s description. 
It is, however, very possible that an opportunity of comparing them with those 
obtained by Gaudichaud, would show them to be distinct, as it rarely happens 
that the same species of reptile is found on the opposite sides of the American 
Continent. 
Genus— NAULTINUS. Grmj. 
Naultinus Grayii. 
Plate XIV. — Fig. 2. 
Omnino viridis ; f route subconcmo ; squanmlis capitis planis. 
Description. — Head thick, swollen across the posterior part, concave between the eyes, and for- 
wards nearly to the snout, which is rounded. Scales of the head larger towards the fore part, 
nearly flat. Eyes round, large ; ears longitudinally oval. Body covered with small nearly equal 
scales. Tail round, one-fifth longer than the body. Limbs short, the anterior, when placed 
against the side, reaching but little more than half way to the thigh ; the posterior reaching 
about two-thirds the distance towards the shoulder. Toes short; on the anterior foot the 
first .is the shortest, then the second, the fifth, and the fourth; on the posterior increasing in 
the same series ; all compressed tow'ards the extremity, and all furnished with small curved 
close claws. 
The colour is a fine green. 
It was taken at the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. It lives on trees, and is 
said to make a laughing noise. 
This species greatly resembles Naultinus Elegans"^ of Mr. Gray, of wdiich a 
beautiful specimen is in the British Museum. Upon a comparison of the two, 
* See Fauna of New Zealand, p. 203. Zool. Misc. p. 72. 
