The Washington herald., 1908-03-08


ing piece OF cactus, and as approach
ed It stared at me and slowly stalked
away; the other gave a deep hiss and
drew in It's head. These huge reptiles,
surrounded by the black lava, the leaf
less shrubs, and large cact!. seemed, TO
my fancy. ike some anteGiluvian ami
mails
These tortoises are fond OF drink, it
seems. and as the only fresh water Is IN
the highlands SIX or eight miles inland
they are forced to make the journey
from the shore, where they live. to the
springs every week or so. They go
about the travelling methodicaIly and
cover the distance OF eight miles In a
couple OF days, wearing well-beaten
trails over the countryside.
Darwin once held the watch on a tor
toise under way and caught him going
az clip CT sixty yards in ten minutes.
which. as he remarked. was go yards
In the hour, or four miles day--ailowing
little time for it TO eat on the road"
The tortoises stay at the drinking
places two or three days filing up, and
then march baek TO the coast After
such spree they can live without drink
for some time
These animals ara unfortunately nearly
extinct on the islands now. as they make
fine food and the trade in them has been
large
Scientist on Strong Steed.
ANY one who thinks Of Darwin as a
coiorless scientist will do well TO contem-
plate him mourted on a Galapagos tor
toise as described by himself:
II frequently got on their backs and
then, giving a few raps on the hinder
part of their shells. they would rise up
and walk away; but 1 found it difficult
10 keep my balance"
There are two kinds Of lizards on the
islands. all about a yard long and bad
beasts TO look HpOn. One kind is dirty
black and web-footed and goes TO sea in
/ herds to fish. swimming with ease and
abandon. The others are dirty red and
follow the land.
Darwin apparently liked to study these
land-going lizards. which, he declared
had a singulaTly stupid look" and
whose progress he described as follows:
When not frightened they slowly
crawl along with their tails and bellies
dragging on the ground. They often
stop and doze for minute OF two. with
closed eyes and hind legs spread out on
the parched soil
These very lazy animals live in burrows
which they dig without undue haste.
They dig first with one side of their body
and then with the other. using their right
paws for a while and then letting their
right side take a nap while they work
on with their left paws for a while In
this way One-half OF the ingenious animal
Is asleep most Of the time.
Tails Pulled by Darwin.
Darwin pulled their tales as follows:
II watched one for a long time. till half
OF its body was buried; 1 then walked up
and pulled II by tSe tail: az this il was
greatly astonished and soon shuffied up
TO see what was the matter; and then
stared me in the face. as much as to say.
What made you pull my tall? -
The scientific work OF Darwin on the
islands was important. He found that
almost all Of the species OF animals were
unique. resembling the animals Of South
America, yet differing from them consid-
erably. Moreover. the species on each
island differed greatly from those on
every other. Putting these facts to-
gether with the geological conditions.
which showed that the islands are OF
comparatively recent formation, Darwin
concluded that the islands presented a
striking instance OF quick variation in
type. The deep channels separating the
islands from each other made each island
a world by itself. and DarWln's observa-
tons on the group played an important
part in leading him 10 his theory OF evo-
luton.