Vol. II, Pt. I] VAN DENBURGH—GALAPAGOS TORTOISES 3^5 



General remarks. — The Hood Island tortoise probably never 

 attained great size. None of our specimens is fully adult, but 

 I should judge that an adult would not be larger than a Dun- 

 can tortoise. It is probable that the Charles Island and the 

 Hood Island tortoises were very similar in shape, but the 

 Hood Island ones are narrower than the specimens which are 

 thought to have originated in Charles Island. 



Field Notes — Hood Island was reached September 24, 1905. 

 Various parts of the island were explored during this visit 

 which ended October 2. On September 27, Mr. Beck found 

 some fragments of tortoise bones on the western end of the 

 island. They were lying on the ground among the lava blocks 

 and were exposed to the sun. These fragments were the only 

 signs of tortoises. Hood Island was visited again from Janu- 

 ary 31 until February 7, 1906. A piece of tortoise carapace 

 and some old droppings were found near the top of the island. 



On June 23, 1906, the anchor was again dropped in Gardner 

 Bay. Exploration revealed no evidence of tortoises until June 

 26, when, as Mr. Slevin records: [Mr. Ochsner and I] went 

 into the interior at the east end of the island and picked up 

 some lizards, which are abundant everywhere. We reached an 

 elevation of about 300 feet and, in a grove of cactus trees 

 about two miles inland from Gardner Bay, ran on to a tor- 

 toise. The country here is very brushy, and the ground is 

 covered with small rocks, so that no trails can be seen any- 

 where. The tortoise was lying in the shade of a large cactus 

 at the edge of a thick patch of brush. It appears to be an 

 adult female. No other signs were encountered and it is only 

 great luck to find a tortoise, as there are no trails to follow. 



June 27, 1906. — Went again after tortoises to the same 

 country we visited yesterday. Mr. King had the good fortune 

 to find a tortoise, this time in the thick brush near the edge of 

 a large open area. It appears to be an adult female. Beck 

 went over to the northwest end of the island and says he got 

 into good tortoise country. He saw no signs of living tor- 

 toises but found some good bones. 



June 28, 1906. — Went in after tortoises again but failed to 

 find any. We however found a very fresh sign ; but the brush 

 was so thick that we could not find the tortoise, even after a 



