Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-27
GALAPAGOS TORTOISE
REASON OF DISAPPEARANCE IN
RECENT YEARS.
Estimated That Fourteen Million Have
Been Taken From the Islands for
Food-Great Age Reached.

From the Farm and Fireside
In recent years several scientific exped,-
tons have visited the Galapagos Islands
principally for the purpose Of studying and.
obtaining specimens Of the gigantic land
tortoise formerly so abundant there. h,,t
now nearly extinct. These expeditions ba,a
all oeen more or less successful. and sew
eraI I'VE toroises have been placed on ex
lioition In this country, though by far the
largest portion have gone to Europe. But
everywhere they have gone they have
aroused the greatest interest.
Inc Galapagos group. on which they ara
round. numbers some sixteen Islands Iarpa
ana small They lie nearly on the EQUATOR.
some north ard some south of II and
about COO miles west of Ecuador 70 v-birp
pohucally, they belong. although there is
no government. The group by a ro,iEb es
innate, extends over an area of 99n ~,
10 miles. They have been called the ZEN
chsnteu isles, a name given probably on
account OF their classic fauna and the pc
cnhar relations existing between neigbho-.
ing islands The present name iS SsrI,re4
iro9i the Spanish word galapagos" mean
ingJ tortoise.
Formerly tortoises were very abundant on
most of the large islands Of the rroun
but they have been killed IN great NM,
pers for food. principally by the crews OF
whaling vessels, which were once frequent
Visitors TO the Islands 1t has been esti-
mated that 1900 900 tortoises have baap
taken from the islands for use as food
lheir former abundance IS well shown by
the statement of Darwin, that In the early
days single vessels have taken away as
many as 200, and that the ship's COM
pany of frigatc brought down I'm one
DAY 10 200 tortoises to the beach"
Getting Scarce.
AT the present time an expedition is lucky
months work Their determination Is also
assisted in by wild dogs. which roam about
In packs on some of the islands, devouring
whatever animal life they can. These dogs
destroy many tortoise eggs and Young for
tolses However, there are stil n few tow
.olses remaining on four or five OF tho Is
lands, but so few that they are extremely
called nearly extinct.
very few young individuals are found now
out have seen three. all about the siza Of
our common box tortoise, or ''terrapin," as
II is usually called, the principal difference
being one of color. The GsIansgos tort,is,
is entirely black. The average size Obtained
now measures about three feet In length ana
n haf between l25 and 10 pounds. The
smells are high and rounded like the shells
OF our box tortoise, and the neck OF the anil
mai Is long and flexible enabling IL to reach
moss and leaves at a height of three or four
rect from the ground.
The legs are large and covered with bss.,.,,
scaIes' winch serve as armor plate in case
the animal is attacked by dogs A few verx,
large tortolses have been taken with shells
hEe rect IN length and an estimated weight
OF from 800 to 1000 pounds Recently one
OF these monsters was captured and the
party who found IL were Obliged TO KIN jt
nor oelng able to transport IL alive on ac-
count of its size
Carrying the Tortoise.
me task of getting them out of their
Island home is very arduous one Most of
them are found several miles from the
coast and they have to be brought ont
strapped to the middle of a pole which il
carried by two men. The islands are of
volcanic nature, and the rough lava under
Loos makes walking difficult, while cacti
tremely thick In some places These four
neys are hard on the tortoise also. bur in
thelr own climate they seem to have a
spienold vitality and they make little OBJ
lection to these forced journeys Although
capable of doing considerable injury Win
their sharp, parrotlke bill, | have never
heard or one biting human being They
seem TO be entirely free from any vicious
qualities of this nature
In their own country they feed nrinci-
paIiy on cacu and on the hanging moss. or
orchllla, which is very abundant there Tha
cactus has large per cent of water in its
makeup, and the orchilIa contains consjd-
efaDIe IN the morning, which fl absorbs
from the heavy night dews Upon these
two sources the tortoise depends to a great
extent Tor Its water supply during the dry
season In captivity they eat almost anv-
thing of vegetable nature watermelons.
cucumoers, apples, grapes, cabbages, grass
ana many other varieties OF vegetable food
nave been tried, and all seem TO be very
palataole to this curious animal