Vol. II, Pt. I] VAN DENBURGH-GALAPAGOS TORTOISES 090 



wooded. The green zone on top was plainly visible, as the 

 day was fine and clear. We passed by the cove where the tor- 

 toise-hunters went in, and saw good tortoise country along 

 the hillsides. We anchored about three o'clock. 



August 7, 1906. — Went up some distance into the interior, 

 about to the beginning of the green zone — 1200 feet. 



August 9, 1906.— Sailed from James Bay for Cowley 

 Mountain. 



Testudo chathamensis Van Denburgh 



Chatham Island Tortoise 



Plates 64 to 69. 



Testudo chathamensis Van Denburgh, Proc Cal Acad Sci (4) I 

 1907, p. 4; SiEBENROCK, Zool. Jahrb., Suppl. X, 3, 1909, p. 533. ' ' 



Type specimen. — California Academy of Sciences No. 8127. 

 Skeleton of adult male. Straight length 35.25 inches. Found 

 in a cave on Chatham Island, by R. H. Beck and Joseph R. 

 Slevin, Feb. 12-14, 1906. 



Distribution. — Chatham Island. 



Material. — The Academy has a skin with bones of an adult 

 female, the bony carapaces of two adult males and a number 

 of skulls and other bones. The Honorable Walter Rothschild 

 writes me that he has a young male specimen. It is probable 

 that this species is now almost or quite extinct. 



Diagnosis. — No nuchal; gulars paired; fourth cervical ver- 

 tebra biconvex; carapace depressed, front elevated in male; 

 height at nuchal notch less than 41% of straight length (male 

 34 to 36 female 27%) ; male flat-backed, female dome-shaped, 

 difference between percentages of heights at third vertebral and 

 at nuchal notch 6 to 11 in male, 24 in female; carapace of 

 male slightly saddle-shaped but broad, width at margin of 

 junction of second and third marginals 53% in male; anterior 

 marginals but little everted; length over curve in male 112 to 

 117%, female 126%; vertical distance from lower surface of 

 plastron to lower edge of lateral marginals small, 4% to 6% ; 

 general size moderate, straight length in male 35.25 inches, 

 female 22.5 inches; pectoral plates much reduced, not meeting 

 on mid-line; eighth marginal plate not reduced; jaws and 

 throat of female black. 



