Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1901-06-27
Clam r0rtOiScS

acquiring one of the Galapagos Is
lands from Ecuador as coallng sta
tinr, it is to be hoped it VIII take
care OF the giant tOrtOise5. 1t has
lately shown 80 much sOlicitude tor
the curiusitieS of its own land that
we may trust it, in this case also, to
check the process of destruction.
The islands form an exceptionally
interesting group on the equator,
about Is in number and OF various
sizes. with numerous rocks and Is
lct<-the remnants Of volcanoes,
with some cones still active. They
rise from very deep water, a. do
most islands in the Pacific Ocean,
which if not coral reefs, are vnlca-
noes; for sounding Of some two
thousand fathnnS are often obtained
within no great distance, so that the
samples ur the neither world would
have to bt piled higher than Aetna
before they could even rise above
the water. But lonely are the Gala
pagOs-f0r the American coast Is the
nearest land-their fauna, on that
very account, is worth study, rs we
are told by DR.. Wallace in his we'll
known " Island Life" 1t is not,
like that Of the mainland, rich III IN
Sects or in land shells, its birds do not
include large number OF species,
and about two thirds Of these-al-
most all of the true land birds-are
peculiar, while those common I" the
continent are aquatic.
The Indigenous species, however,
have allies in South America. both,
probably, having come from com
mon stock, representatives OF which
managed to get across, perhaps
when the passage was shorter.
is usual in islands like the Galap
ihrre are no truly native lnamh
or amphibians ; reptiles, however;
are more abundant than might be
expected. Besides the tOrt0ises, two
kinds of SIG kes and lizards are found.
One Of the last, il rather large one,
is aquatic, but how the others were
transported is not easy to suppose or
suggest.
We cannot suppose the islands to
be the relics Of Il drowned continent
which had served "a Noah's ark to
tn" survivors Of lis fauna. Nor can
we imagine them linked by continu-
Gus land to South America, GO0 miles
away.
At some former time they may
havr.cUntrivrd to" paddle their own
canoe" nr, in other words, or DRIFT
across on floating logs.
Many reptiles are tenacious OF HE
and can gn along time without food.
But slraugrst of all are the giant
lOrtniSrS which have given name
to Galapagos. Each Of the larger
islands appears To have its own sp"'
rir4, lhuugh suinctimc@ more than
one is found.
In the Royal Natural ui-lory,"
Mr.. Lydrkkrr mentions six, and All
extinct species has been found on
ln,. iittig;:jir Island. They are
big creatures for turtOiSes, the shell
of one individual being over yard
long, and all their movements are
very slow.
Charles Darwin. who visited these
islands in the Beagle, gives Il full de-
scriptiun OF their habits. He eSu-
mated their pace al six yards min
ute, ST. that by walking un for II
hours they would cover about four
miles. Living with such uelibcra.
ton, they are in no hurry To die; in
fact, the natives think that, but for
accidents, death wGuld be indeh-
nilcIy postponed. Still, they have
their enemies. \ kind of huzZard
consumes numbers of the newly
hatGhed young while their shells are
still tender, aud mall.-- especially the
old huCCaueers-h has found big tor
toisrS Il good substitute for turtles.
So the race is fast disappearing from
the Galapagos.
The same is true Of the great tor
toiSes Of the Massarene Islands and
Aldahra. The latter, indeed, are al
most gone, and when the giants t"
be seen in our geological gardens die
their place will not be readily TILED.
Though now these big tortoisrs are
wholly insular, they were found in-9
lar from remote geological age u
the continents Of both hemisphere
Que in northern India, having sir.
six feet long. But some change 81
climate, perhaps the Glacial Epoch,
was fatal to all except those on
Oceanic Islands.
COMING home rather late one
night OLD Jones discovered country
yokcl with Il lantern standing by the
kitchen door.
Young man." said he, what
are you doing here" ~
I've come a. counting, sur"
" Accounting What on earth do
YOU mean ~
" Well, I'm the follower ut Mary
the Kitchen maid, sur"
" DO yun usually carry lantern
when you are on such errIndS ::