THE TUATARA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18090, 15 May 1922, Page 5

THE TUATARA.

Sir, —When living at Whangaiei some eight years ago I often went to the Hen and Gh'V-kcns for fishing purposes. When at the Chicken Islands, near where the light is erected, I often came across tuataras and have caught them. I could go to-day and show where they can be caught at the Hen and Chickens. C. T. Gibson. Ist Avenue, Helcnsville. Sir, —Concerning my friend Mr. Gannon's article in the Herald of May 4 on this famous lizard, I. think he is mistaken in assuming that it has not been found generally on the mainland, for there is much evidence showing that before the advent of rats and pigs, it certainly lived in rocky position near the sea and perhaps inland also. In November, 1867, 1 was engaged with Dr. {afterwards Sir James) Hector exploring in the Taupo district, and we found numbers of the lower jaw of tire tuatara and one or two skulls in. the small caves formed by overhanging volcanic rocks at Wharewaka Point, also in a cave at Maunganamu, opposite the exit ot: the Waikato River from Taupo Lake. I also found lower jaws at Cape Kidnappers and in the sand dunes round Porirua Harbour associated with beaks and skulls of the I kakapcr, rnoas, etc. In my young days i at Whangarei, two very old men, Karekare j and Te Hirawanu, used to excite my boyish j ardour by tales of the dread tuatara. or | tuatete as they were called up North. They ; assured me that they both remembered j the lime when these creatures were quite i common along the East Coast on rocky ■ points, etc. Of course, there are many ! such places w here wild pigs could not | reach, but none safe from the übiquitous I rat. The names, tu-a-tara and tu-a-tete, ! are singularly approprite. both meaning I " spines erect." Gilbert Mair. | Tauranga, May 12.