Vol. II, Pt. I] VAN DENBURCH— GALAPAGOS TORTOISES 



317 



Material. — The Academy's collection contains no specimens 

 of the Charles Island tortoise. In addition to the skeleton in 

 the Boston Society of Natural History, three other specimens 

 have been referred to this species by Dr. Giinther. These are 

 the carapace of an adult male in the Rothschild Museum at 

 Tring, England, a female in the Harvard Museum of Com- 

 parative Zoology, and probably a male in the Peabody Acad- 

 emy of Science in Salem, Massachusetts. 



Diagnosis. — No nuchal; gulars paired; third^ cervical ver- 

 tebra biconvex; front of carapace fairly high; carapace inclin- 

 ing toward the saddle-shape, broad, depressed, flat-backed, 

 rather broad anteriorly ; first marginals not much enlarged, not 

 everted, their ventral surfaces not vertical, their most prominent 

 points not widely separated ; length over curve not more than 

 125% (120-125%), less than width over curve; vertical dis- 

 tance from lower surface of plastron to lower edge of lateral 

 marginals great; general size large, straight length 37.5 inches; 

 plastron moderate, median length 75 to 80% ; plates generally 

 smooth; pectorals forming a suture on median line; eighth 

 marginal large with a long superior border. 



General Remarks. — The Charles Island tortoise was closely 

 related to that of Hood Island, but was of a somewhat broader, 

 and perhaps smoother type. No tortoise has been taken in 

 Charles Island for many years and there can be little doubt 

 this race is extinct. 



Neither Mr. Slevin nor any other member of the Expedition 

 found anything to indicate the presence of tortoises on Charles 

 Island. Not even a bit of bone was found, although much time 

 was spent in searching on various parts of the island, as the 

 following extracts from Mr. Slevin's notes show : 



Field Notes— Oct. 4, 1905.— Went ashore at Post Office Bay 

 and worked towards the interior. Found animal life of every 

 description scarce. No signs of tortoises, nor any bones, were 

 seen. 



Oct. 5-6, 1905. — Ashore at the northeast end of the island. 

 No reptiles seen except Tropidurus and geckos. 



iThis probably is an abnormal, individual variation. The same condition has 

 been described in the type of T. becki in which the fourth normally is biconvex as in 

 the other races. 



