STUDY OF TUATARA

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26121, 25 May 1950, Page 3

STUDY OF TUATARA

PARTY VISITS STEPHEN’S ISLAND Two Christchurch men. Professor E. Percival, professor of biology at Canterbury University College, and Mr R. R. Forster, of the Canterbury Museum, were members of a party, headed by Mr W. H. Dawbin, lecturer in zoology at Victoria University College, which recently visited Stephen’s Island, north-west of the Marlborough Sounds, to study the habits of the tuatara. The other member of the party was Mr D. Hurley, of Victoria University College. The tuatara is the most ancient living reptile. Mr Forster, who returned to Christchurch yesterday, said that because the tuatara was so ancient it was very important. Moving pictures had been taken to complete a film on the lizards and tuataras of New Zealand. One of the tuataras, which had been brought into the museum some years ago was aged 70. It was then an adult. The Stephen’s Island frog, which was rediscovered by Mr Dawbin some time ago. was also seen by the party. The frog, which is peculiar to the island, lives under stones, as there is no free water on the island. It is about two inches long and is deep brown in colour. Films were taken of the frog. Also on the island were tremendous numbers of dove petrels, fluttering shearwaters and diving petrels. The burrows of these birds wore frequented by the tuatara, said Mr Forster.

Stephen’s Island was named by Captain Cook on March 31. 1770. after a secretary of the Admiraltv Board. It is two miles north-west of D’Urville Island, and has a lighthouse.