The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1893-02-24
HAPPYFefaILY..

&c CsuzIstz OF ause Galapagos Torto-ssu
and "a Number OF Frisly Young Ezarea-
Al General Park in New York City
may be seen a happy family, the like OF
which, possibly cannot be met any
where else IN the world. II consists Of
a mum Der of frislry young hares and the
siowest and most aucien looking OF
tortoises the t0rtCises, however are
not as Old as they appear when grown
10 their fun size they will weigh hun
dreds of pounds apiece, and be quite
able 80 carry men upon their backs
The tortoises are part Of "a number
brought from the Galapagos Islands.
several years ago, to the Natural His
tory Museum at Washington. These
islands, forming a small archipelago in
the Pacific Ocean, are very remarkable
IN many respects, but in none more so
perhaps, than ia having been the home
of races of giant tortuises OF which the
specimens at Central Park are rem
uant Commodore Porter, who visited
the Galapagos Islands about eighty
years ago, saw such drOves Of these
tortoises that he says a man might
have walked a considerable distance on
their backs without descending TO the
ground. He saw specimens I've feet
long, four and "a half feet wide, and
measuring three feet thick through the
body. He was impressed not only with
their size, hut with their strange shape
They had long uecizs and fat, serpent
like heads and long legs (for turties)
upon which they stood with the body a
full foot from the ground. Though
keen of sight, these tortoises are quite
deaf, the loudest noise failing TO startle
them; but in their wild state they
are so timid that the sight of q man
makes them scuttic of in pOuderous
haste. Sometimes, however, as Mr.
Darwin Eeys. tho Instant they perceive
anyone. they draw in their legs and
head, and uttering-a deep hiss, fan to
the ground with a heavy thud, as if
struck dead. 81 frequently" he says,
'gOt upon their backs, and upon giving
a few Taps upon the hinder part of the
shell, they would rise mp and walk
awayi but I found IL very difficult to
keep my balance" The Galapagos tor
toise is a thirsty creatures the one oh
iect OF its life seems to be to get enough
to drink. In the smaller islands, where
there are no springs, the tortOises are
obliged to content themselves with the
succulent Peruvian cactus and other
juicy plants; but in the larger ones they
travel long distances to the springs
which occur in the more elevated CEN
trail parts From every part of the sea-
coast broad, Well-beaten paths, oTlgl-
naIly made by tortoises, converge to
the interior and lead to the watering
places. Travellers who visited the ISL
ands when these paths were used by the
tortoises tell us how curious IL was 60
see the huge creatures, one set eagerly
/ travelling toward the springs with out
stretched necIzs, and another set re
turning, having ''dEunk their fill"
/ When "a tortoise arrived at a spring,
quite regardless of tine spectator, it
buried its head in water above the eyes
and greediIy swauOwed great mouth
fuls at the rate of about ten a minute.
Although rather clumsy pets. the
/ creatures are entirely harmless The
little saucy Hares that share quarters
W tn them at Central park play around,
about and all over Them as if they were
so many great bouldcrsr which Indeed
| they somewhat resemble.
Unfortunately for these Galapagos
tortoises, the delicious flavor of their
meat has long been known; and SO IL
( happens that through the greed aud
I careiessuess of mankind they are rapid
/ ly disappearing from the face of the
/ EARTH. Carter Beard, in St Nicholas