l86 THE LIVING ANIMALS OL THE WORLD 
venture to approach it. A number of other lizards, including tree-climbing varieties, were 
introduced to the company of the examples under observation, and until friendly acquaintance- 
ship had been established their advances towards the chamaeleons were always repelled. 
The majority of the chamseleons lay eggs^ 
but a smaller number produce living young, as 
with skinks and other lizards. Examples of 
the common European and North African 
species kept by the writer excavated holes 
in the earth, in which they laid their eggs, 
and then carefully covered them up again. 
1 Unfortunately these eggs were not fertilised. 
I One South African species has been reported 
to the writer as being in the habit of placing 
and separately wrapping and fastening up 
each egg as deposited in the leaves of the 
tree in which it resided. While Africa and 
Madagascar represent the head centres of 
distribution of the fifty odd known species 
of chamaeleons, they enter Europe through 
the Spanish Peninsula, and extend east- 
ward to Arabia, India, and Ceylon. The 
largest known variety, which inhabits Mada- 
gascar, attains a length of 15 inches; the 
smallest pygmy chamaeleon of the Cape scarcely measures 2| inches. 
The Tu.vfera 
That singular reptile found on certain small islands lying to the north-east of New Zealand, 
and known as the Tu.\TER.\, differs in so many structural characters from all other lizards 
that it is assigned to a separate order. Externally the tuatera does not differ materially in 
form from an ordinary lizard. The skin, however, is peculiar for its leathery, granulated, and 
wrinkled texture ; there is no trace of e.xternal ears ; the eyes, adapted for nocturnal vision, 
have in daylight vertical pupils; and the bases of the toes are united by connecting webs. 
The deeper internal characteristics include the possession of supplementary so-called abdominal 
ribs, the presence of which are readily ap- 
prehended on handling the living animal. 
These structures, while absent in ordinary 
lizards, find their near equivalent in the 
breastplate of tortoises and turtles. The 
teeth are not implanted in distinct sockets, 
but attached to the summits of the jaws, 
which are developed in a beak-like manner, 
and in older individuals fulfil, after the 
manner of a beak, the functions of the worn- 
out incisor teeth. 
Tuateras have been exceedingly scarce 
of recent years, and in view of their scientific 
interest, and the risk of their possible ex- 
tinction, are now protected by the New Zealand 
Government. Among the multitudinous gifts of which their Royal Highnesses the Prince and 
Princess of Wales were recipients during their recently accomplished world-embracing tour, a 
pair of living tuatera lizards formed one of the most singular and highly prized contributions 
accepted from the loyal New Zealanders. 
Photo by IV. Saville- Kent F.Z.S.] [Milford-on-Sea 
A TAME TUATERA 
Is a great acquisition for a greenhouse^ feeding on slugs^ beetles^ and 
all noxious insects 
Photo by tv, Siivtlle- Kent , F Z.S."] \_Milford’On‘Sea 
THE TUATERA OF NEW ZEALAND 
Belongs to an ancient reptile race of ^vhich it is the only living 
survivor 
