ABOUT REPTILES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2056, 20 July 1893, Page 10

ABOUT REPTILES.

A very interesting discussion took place at the last meeting of the Philosophical .Society upon the subject of the introduction of venomous reptiles into New Zealand. Sir James Hector brought under the notice of members the small snake which recently arrived from the Islands in a, bunch of bananas by the steamer Taviuni, and said that, so far as he knew, there were only two kinds in Fiji, ■which lived entirely upon the land ; but, from 1 all he could learn, neither of them was venomous. It waa quite the exception to" find venomous snakes m any part of .the Pacific. The only snake he knew of in New Zealand was one which w,as found in j the sea at the Bay of Islands, and which had a I flat tail, which it used like an oar. ' It had been asserted by many people that Jhe snake in question was non-poisonous, but there' was a doubt as to whether it was not venomous at" certain seasons. He thought the fact of snakes having come to the colony in fruit from the Islands was one which should be inquired into by';the authorities. Fruit might be imported from Queensland or Java, and some of the, venomous snakes in those countries might in. that way reach New Zealand. One of the most poisonous snakes known frequented the bottoms' of the rivers in New Guinea, and it would be amost serious thing if it should be brought to New Zealand, a country so free from all venomous reptiles. Professor Kirk said- that the subject of the migration of snakes was a most interesting one. He recollected several instances of snakes having been introduced into' New Zealand. , Some water snakes had arrived from distant parts, but when they arrived they were in a very bartered condition, and did not take kindly to our ,waters. An examination of the snakes showed that they.canie all the way from Torres Strait. The President (Major-general Schaw) : If they came from Torres Strait they must have travelled some thousands of miles. Nfl wonder they were battered about when they reached our shores. Mr C. W. Tanner' asked Sir James Hector whether it was thought that > other venomous reptiles besides snakes were likely to be brought to New Zealand in the banana Vessels. Sir James Hector said ,that he could not answer the question without referring to authorities aa to what scorpions and centipedes existed in the Islands. He, however, TUd'not think there were many down there. A very dangerous centipede was found on the island of ,Mana, Welling- j ton, and there was also a' scorpion in some parts of the colony, but it was very small; and he did not think it was venomous". He was very sorry that there had been no restriction on the introduction of foreigrusoils and ' fauna, because their reckless introduction haft damaged the vegetation of the colony.. > The President said that duriDg a .residence of six years in Ceylon he had never known of snakes being found"amongst tb«J~ banana trees, 'and he was surprised to hear that they inhabited the banana groves in the Pacific. . Sir James Hector mentioned that a small plant had escaped from the -public gardens , in Melbourne—a faat which was" causing some excitemerit, as the plant was- absolutely fatal to cattle, which were very fond of it.,- For some time the f Victorian Department of Agriculture was under the impression that the cattle which ate it were suffering from anthrax," a disoase prevalent in other countries, co similar were the symptoms. — Po3t. • • " .