338 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES [Proc. 4th Ser. 



General remarks. — The tortoises of southern Albemarle pre- 

 sent many difficulties. The specimens from Iguana Cove seem 

 to be quite uniform in shape, and it is probable that only 

 Testudo vicina occurs there. Somewhat farther east, at Cape 

 Rose, are found tortoises which I am unable to distinguish 

 from those taken at Tagus Cove, which again appear to be 

 constantly of one type. But when one collects still farther 

 east, on Vilamil Mountain or in the vicinity of Turtle Cove 

 or the old Cobos settlement, tortoises of two distinct types are 

 found together. Those of one type agree closely with the tor- 

 toises of Iguana Cove, and I therefore include them under the 

 head of Testudo vicina. Those of the other type are much 

 more depressed, with less elevated backs, with the height to 

 marginals very low, and have very smooth shells. These I 

 refer to another race, for which the name Testudo gUntheri 

 seems available. They resemble both the Tagus Cove and 

 the Chatham Island tortoises in many respects. A few speci- 

 mens, included in the second table of measurements, are nearly 

 intermediate in shape between the typical T. giintheri and the 

 dome-shaped females of T. vicina. Altogether, the problem 

 is a difficult one, and I am in some doubt whether these tor- 

 toises which I have called T. giintheri are really a distinct 

 race or merely old individuals of the same race as those I 

 have referred to T. vicina. I cannot understand, however, 

 how age could produce changes in shape such as exist, and I 

 therefore think it probable that the two great mountains of 

 southern Albemarle — at Iguana Cove and Vilamil — each. de- 

 veloped its own peculiar race of tortoise, perhaps at a time 

 when these mountains were separate islands. If this view be 

 correct, T. vicina has spread eastward more rapidly than T. 

 giintheri has wandered toward the west. The following field 

 notes are based upon tortoises of both kinds. 



Ten eggs (No. 8426) taken Sept. 1, 1906, from tortoise 

 No. 8197, measure 2.38x2.30, 2.37x2.36, 2.37x2.30, 2.37x2.24, 

 2.34x2.25, 2.33x2.28, 2.33x2.25, 2.30x2.30, 2.27x2.25 and 

 2.21x2.25 inches. The smallest eggs in our collection measure 

 2.10x1.87 and 2.01x1.90 inches. They are No. 8430 and were 

 taken from tortoise No. 8197. 



Field Notes.— Oct. 30, 1905.— We sailed for Turtle Cove, 

 on leaving Brattle, and anchored early in the afternoon. 



