STRANGE LIZARD COLONY
Te Aroha Discovery
TUATARAS ESTABLISHED ON MAINLAND?
Dominion Special Service.
TE AROHA, March 14.
A colony of large lizards, thought to be tuataras, has been discovered at the extreme end of Morgantown, Te Arolia, by Mr.. J. D. Cumming. Some months ago Mr. Cumming captured a lizard of unusual colour and shape and forwarded it on to the Auckland Museum for identification. Unfortunately it was lost in transit.' The site of the colony is near the spot where the first lizard was found, the lizards apparently having their headquarters in the midst of a patch of scrub and blackberry on a paddock that adjoins the mountain bush reserve. Several have been seen entering lite scrub, which was gradually cut away till the centre revealed a small burrow worn by a mountain streamlet. In this it is expected the lizards have made their home. Close watch is being kept on tlie spot. The finder reports that ■ the specimens lie saw were about IS inches, long. Several other local residents have also seen the lizards. “It would prove most interesting to find tuataras on the mainland,” said Mr. A. AV. B. Powell, assistant director of the Auckland War Memorial Museum. “Witli. the exception of one or two that have been reported in various parts of the mainland, they have been found only on the islands off the North Auckland coast and on Stephens Island, in Cook Strait. “From the report of tlfe size of the lizards seen at To Arolia, it appears probable that they are tuataras, as there is no New Zealand true lizard approaching that size. It might be as well to mention again that the tuatara is protected by law, even for identification purposes.” (
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Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 145, 15 March 1939, Page 10
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288STRANGE LIZARD COLONY Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 145, 15 March 1939, Page 10
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