Tuataras.
“Indeed!” said the robin, and he put his head on one side and looked very unbelieving.
Just then two cockroaches, more curious than the rest, ran up the stones near where the lizards sat, who, suddenly turning their heads, seized and swallowed them.
How indignant all the birds and insects were at this transgression of the laws of fairy-land, and loud cries arose from all sides of “Shame! shame!”
“Peck out their eyes!” cried the Kiwi, who had, however, been thinking he should like a meal himself.
“Off with their tails!” croaked a bright green frog.
“Off with their tails!” repeated the Tui in a shrill voice.
But the Tuataras, hearing the noise, glided down from the stones into the fern; Hal and the birds went after them, but the lizards were soon lost to sight in a hole.
“We shall have to give it up,” said Hal, “we could not get them out of that hole except by digging; let us go back to the others:” so they returned, and Hal, sitting down by Santa Claus, said, “This is all great fun,—I wonder when they will begin dancing again, I never enjoyed a dance so much before.”