37^ 



CIIELOXIA 



CHAP. 



of its shell was 55 inches, or 67-J- inches over the curve ; total 

 weight 560 Ihs. This specimen had a chequered career. 

 Although its original home must have been the Aldabra atoll, 

 it had been known for many years on Egmont Island, one of the 

 Chagos Islands. According to tradition, it had been there 

 some 150 years, but the first settlement on that island was 



bimtpWi 



Fig. 83. — Tesludo daudini (a\ioxe) awiX T. abint/doni (helo^v). x vtV 



formed from ^Mauritius onlv at the beginning of this centur\-. 

 The owner of the tortoise, M. Autelme, took it to Mauritius, 

 wlience it came to England. On tlie Egmont Island it used 

 to 1)ury itself for six montlis in the ground withotit eating 

 anything. 



T. sinneirei. — This kind is supposed to liave been the species 

 peculiar to the Seychelles. In 176G five large tortoises were 

 brought from the Seychelles to Mauritius by Chevalier ]Mariou 

 de Tresne. Of these only three were alive in 1898, two i^i 



