( =534 ) 



Of these the live latter agree iu all resjjects, aud purtieiilarly, iiKlepeiideutlv 

 of age, in the remarkable flattening and shallowness of the palatal region, while 

 the three skulls of T. nbinf/domi have this part narrower and deeply concave. 

 This agreement iu the latter is all the more significant as tlie skulls are tliose 

 of old individuals, in which one might have expected a certain anioiuit of individual 

 variation. 



The enumeration of other distinctive characters would he merely a repetition 

 of what I have pointed out iu my former description atid in the first part of 

 the present paper. 



Dr. Banr himself admits the distinctness of the Duncan Island tortoise from 

 that of Abingdon Island. He says : " We were fortunate enough to find a new 

 species of tortoise in this island." * 



Now as far as shell, skull, and large limb-bones — the" only jiarts preserved 

 of T. epliijjpium — are concerned, the agreement of the Duncan Island specimens 

 with T. epiiippium is perfect, and therefore I see no reason, at present, for 

 s< parating tliem under a distinct name, as Dr. Baur seems inclined to do. Indeed 

 a glance at the map of the Archipelago shows the great improbability that the 

 tortoise of Duncan is identical with that of the outlying Abingdon. Not only 

 are the two islands more than 1° of Lat. distant from each other, but there is 

 James Island intervening, which is, or was, inhabited by a distinct type of a deep- 

 black colour and rounded circular shape. Now, if I am correct in assigning the 

 Duncan Island tortoise to T. ephippi^nn, the fact of this identity would be strong 

 evidence against the supposition that tlie type of tlie latter sj)eci(.'s is Basil Hall's 

 specimen. 



Where, then, does the type of '/'. cpliippiam come from ? As mentioned 

 above, in the Synopsis of the Gigantic Land Tortoise.-f, written long after the 

 descriptive jwrtion, I stated that it came from Indefatigable Island. At this time, 

 after a la]ise of twenty years, I have no recollection of the grounds which induced 

 me to substitute that island for Charles Island. Possibly Commander Cookson, who 

 by tliat time liad returned liome, gave me information pointing to Indefatigable 

 Island as the probable home of T. ephippiam. If this sliould prove to be the fact, 

 then its identity with the Duncan Island tortoise could be readily accounted for 

 by the close proximity of Indefatigable and Duncan Islands. 



I do not despair that tliis as well as other obscure points in tiie distribution 

 of these tortoises are still capable of definite solution, althougli tlie majority of 

 the races may be extinct or are being exterminated. There must Ite many 

 remains of specimens whicji perished ages ago, scattered over the islands. It is 

 of great importance that iu future visitors sliould collect and preserve those 

 remains, esjjccially skulls. Those found at a great distance from the shore would 

 be the more valuabh>, as they afford iucontestalile evidence of being derived from 

 animals really indigenous to the island. For we must not forget that those 

 picked up near landing-places may be remains of specimens wiiic.li were transported 

 by crews of vessels from some other island and slaughtered when or wherever 

 their meat was retjuired. 



* Kin licftiich dtr GaJapaijos Ijisrln (Miiuchcii, 1>'92), p. .35: ''Wii' waren so glucklich, auf dieser 

 Inscl eine neue Art von Scliildkroten to tincien " 



