HELLER 



Rather common on the higher parts of Duncan Island especially 

 about the fertile basins of the old craters. The exact locality of 

 the type is unknown. Giinther has referred it, at different times, 

 to both Charles and Indefatigable Islands for various reasons, none 

 of which are very convincing. The Indefatigable form as de- 

 scribed by Ecuadorians is a much larger and more symmetric- 

 ally shaped species. The Tropiduri of the two islands are so 

 different that we would be surprised to find the Testudo showing no 

 differences. 



Duncan Island is comparatively low and, being centrally situated, 

 is robbed of a good deal of moisture by the weather islands. Though 

 without living water and subject to drought for several consecutive 

 seasons yet it has supported many tortoises. When we visited the 

 island in May, 1899, in the height of the rainy season, we found the 

 crater dry and the deep soil fissured in all directions by the heat, indi- 

 cating little rainfall that season. The tortoises evidently find enough 

 moisture in the Opuntia, or other vegetation, to supply their wants 

 during these dry seasons. 



The species has a longer carapace and limbs than T. microphyes 

 which may be attributed to climatic conditions, still dryer than those 

 which prevail at Tagus Cove. It is readily distinguishable from 

 either of the Albemarle species by its peculiar flaring and elongate 

 carapace and its slightly reddish coloration. Its size is considerably 

 less, the largest males found weighing only about fifty pounds. 



MEASUREMENTS OF Testudo ephippium. ALL ADULT. 



