, 1875-08-15


o7E cTv1r~r rA~rc
ob0.~ 0.~6lAIEEN TAUES
- ~------- ----@--
900 individuals On board, with an avarsge weight
Of 60 pounds. Among these there were only
three males, the males oeing distinguished from
the females by their larger Rize and greater
Capt. Porter remarked that ths tortoiees diff
fered in siza aud shape With the different
islands. Those On Porter's Island ware gigantic;
one, and that not the largest, measuring SIX feet
in length, ~ feet in width, aud feat in depth.
The tortoises Of Jones Island uere round,
Those on Charles Island vera elongate, and Of
brown color. while those On Hoods Island,
one OF the smallest Of the group, we're of the
same shape, but inferior in size.
When Darwin, in bis voyage IN the Beagle.
visited the Galapagos Islands in 1885, there were
still large specimens Of the Teetudo in tho inte-
rior, but circumstances had occurred which
threatened destruction to The race. ECUADOR
had taken possession Of the Archipelago, and
colony OF 200 or 800 people had been banished
gosts and pigs peopled the woods, ret the colony
depended upon the tortoiaes for their chief snp-
ply OF meat and great destruction Of the animals
had ensued- Nevertheless, the people had count
ed. says Darwin: ION two days hunting giving
them food tor the rest OF the week. It is said
that formerly single vessels have taken sway as
many as aeven hundred, and that the ships com-
pany OF frlgate some years since brought
down u one day t"o hundred torto1see On the
heacn.
Darwin spent several weeks studying the nat
nral history Of the Galapagos, and the record OF
his observations as e1ceea'ng'y interesting
While walking one day on Chatham lslsnd he
felates: met TWO 1aree to1tolses' eacn OF
which must have weighed 2oo pounds: one was
eating piece Of cactus, and, as approached,
It stared at me and AloHlY 8talked away the
other gave deep MSS ana ore" IN lta mead.
The Vice Governor OF the Colony informed ar.
Darwin that he hhd seen several! tortolses OF
such size that it required s11 or eight
that some individuals had been known to
afford 200 pounds Of meat On those
islands which have no water, and 90 the low and
arid plains Of the others, the tortoises feed
chief1y On the suceulent cactus but in the higher
regions, which are kept moist by the low-hang
ing clouds. they cut the leaves OF various trees,
and also berries and ichens.
THE tortoise Is very fond OF water to quote
again from Darwin, "drlnklng large quantities
aud Wallo"iog IN the mud" The larger islands
alone possess springH and these are always situ-
ated towards the central parts, aud at q consid-
erable height. The tortolscs, therefore, which
frequent the lower districts, when thirsty, arc
obliged to travel from long distance. Hence
broad and welI-benten paths branch OF in every
direction from the wells down to the seaccoast;
and the spaoisrds, by following them up, first
discovered the watering places. When landed
At Chatham Island, could not imagine what
animal travelled SO methodicall7 along
well-chosen tracks. Noar the springs it Was
curious spectacle to behold many of these
huge creatures. one set eagerly travelling on
ward with outstretched necks, and another BOT
returning, after having dunk tben MI. When
tue tortoise arrives At the sp1ng quite fega1d-
1883 o. any spectator, ne DUTIES hls neao Va sne
water above bis eyes. and gfeedily swallows
great inousnfois az tne rare OF aoout Ten MN
nte. me lnhap,lants ga say eaeh ana animal stays a
three or four days IN the ne,ghporhood OF the
water, and then retnIns to tue lower country !;
Gnt tney ainerea 10 me frequency Of sneae vasis.
The animal probably regulates them according
to the patnre OF the 1000 on whlch = nsea>
believe IT ls well aqcersalnea tnat ~ tne olaa-
der OF the frog acts as reservoir Tor the mo1s-
ture necessary TO ITS existence; suen seems %
be the cnae with toe tortoise. tor some time,
after VISIT to the spnng then urinary oladde1a
are dlstended with hn1d, when 10 said gradually
to decrease IN volume, sad 70 oecome less pure.
The inhabitants. when walking IN the lower DIS
trict and overcome with thirst, often take i'd
yaltage OF this circumstance and drink the con-
tents OF the bladder 1t full ln one 81" k1led'
the tnld was quite limpld, and had only a very