The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-10-19
HAWAIIAN SK|NKS
Pamphlet by Smithsonian
Institute.
Distribution Of These Animals Throws Lin c
light on How They Reached
the Ar. hirelagei.

The Smithsonian Institute OF Wash
ington has recently issued in pamph-
| let form a description of Hawaiian
geckos and skinks, commonly known
as lizards, having received specimens
of these reptiles from the late aIr. V.
Knudsen. of Kauai. the late Mr.. X. w.
Meyer, of Molokai. and Mr.. III. w. Hen
shaw, of Hawaii. We quote a few par
agraphs from the pamphlet, OF which
Mr.. L. Stejneger is the author:
1T is quite significant that there are
no true land reptiles in the Hawaiian
Archipelago other than few species
of lizards, and particularly that all the
species known to- occur there belong TO
the cosmopolitan families. the gcckos
and the skinks. Ii is further to- he OBJ
served that all three skinks and three
of the four species OF geckos belong to-
Indo-Polynesian island world. and. fl
nally, that the remaining gecko has
close relatives in New Caledonia. ia
va, Sumatra ana Ceylon.
This distribution does not sustain
the theory of once continuous land
connection between the various island
groups. On the contrary. the limited
number and wide range OF this fauna
go to show that at the time of immi-
grafton the Hawaiian Islands. ut least.
were separated, and probably widely
so, from whatever land masses may
have connected other islands at that
time or earlier.
If the meteorologic and hydrosraph-
ic conditions at that time were any
thing like what they are at present. II
is not likely that these frail land YER
tebrates were distributed over thou
sands of miles of ocean by ordinary
means. Currents and wind would nave
prevented their distribution, and such
obstacles which have appeared to
some authors so formidable as to make
them dubious concerning the western
origin of the Polynesian navigators
themselves seem insurmountable for
small land vertebrates incapable of
flight
that these small lizards are easily
transported in vessels and among
household goods over great distances,
and when looking for the means by
which these animals may have
reached the Hawaiian Islands. IL Is not
possible to escape the conclusion that
| they have been introduced by mans
agency. From the circumstances that
the true home OF these lizards is to
the south and west of Hawaii: that
| nearly all of the species were collected
there as early as the visit of the United
| States exploring expedition under
Wilkes; and that the species are more
| or less common on the principal ISL
| ands of the Hawaiian group: from
| these circumstances il is permissible
/ to conclude that the lizards immigra-
ted to the Islands with the ancestor.
of the Hawaiians.
| AT the present stage of our knowl.
| edge, the distribution of these animals
throws very little light upon the ques.
ton by which route they and man
if it be true that they accompanied hin
reached the archipelago. II shoult
be added. however, that n better ant
more detailed knowledge OF all tn,
forms inhabiting Polynesia nigh
give better results. Not until speci
mems from all the groups have beer
| brought together in sufficient number.
| will IL be possible to affirm with Ger
tainty that these widely Distributed
| species have not differentiated into 10
cal forms by which, however slight tn,
characters, it might become possibl,
| to trace their evolution and incident
ally their migrations. The only poin
| which can be claimed with certaint,
is that they came from the west On,
or two of the species. IL is true. hav.
also been found in few localities II
America, but their distribution her,
is purely local and. no doubt. is due {,
introduction by man, much in the sam,
way as they reached the Hawaiian Isl
ands. though probably much later. II
| then, it be true that these lizards hav,
accompanied the Polynesians in thei
migrations, the conclusions to- b,
drawn add TO the mass OF evidenc
available against any theory OF thei
having originated in America. though
this addition may perhaps be superfiu
Gus at the present day.
l am not aware OF records of any o
the marine snakes having been takel
at the Hawaiian Islands Some ar
| known to occur as far east as the So
ciety Islands: but the only surprisin
feature is that Hydrus platurus. whicl
is recorded from Japan, Tahiti and tn
west coast of Mexico. has not bee
found in Hawaiian waters, at least oC
casionally.
J The marine turtles living in the sea
surrounding the Hawaiian Archipela
so and breeding on some OF its outly
ing islets, are, as yet. too imperfect
known TO make it profitable to discus
them on the present occasion. henC