5 8 TORTOISES AND TURTLES. 



shells is of considerable length, and the shell itself stout. On the other hand, in 

 the saddled tortoise (T. ephippium) and the Abingdon tortoise (T. abingdoni) the 

 same bridge is relatively short, and the shell is remarkable for its thinness ; the 

 carapace being much narrowed anteriorly, where it is so pinched in at the sides as 

 to have a sharp ridge on the back. In the former of these two species the shell 

 still retains the usual bony framework, but in the second it is soft and leathery. 

 Both have very long necks, which are carried nearly vertically ; and in the 

 Abingdon species the notches in the front end of the shell are so large that in a 

 front view the animal appears merely to have a kind of mantle thrown over the 

 body. It is hard to see what can be the object of this softening and atrophy of 

 the shell ; but it is quite clear that it renders the animals very liable to injury, and 

 thus probably accounts for the fact that none of them have been brought alive to 

 Europe. The carapace .of this species attains a length of 38J inches, and the 

 weight of one individual was just over 200 Ibs. 



The best .account of the habits of the Galapagos tortoises is one given by 

 Darwin, regarding the species figured in our engraving, which inhabits, apparently, 

 most of the islands of the group. These tortoises frequent in preference the high 

 damp parts, although they likewise live in the lower and arid districts. Very 

 numerous in individuals, some grow to such a size that it requires six or eight men 

 to lift them, while they will yield as much as 200 Ibs. of meat. " The old males are 

 the largest, the females rarely growing to so large a size ; the male can be readily 

 distinguished from the female by the greater length of its tail. The tortoises 

 which live on those islands where there is no water, or in the lower and arid parts 

 of the others, feed chiefly on the succulent cactus. Those which frequent the 

 higher and damp regions eat the leaves of various trees, a kind of berry, which is 

 acid and austere, and likewise a pale green filamentous lichen, that hangs in tresses 

 from the boughs of the trees. The tortoise is very fond of water, drinking large 

 quantities, and wallowing in the mud. The larger islands alone possess springs, 

 and these are always situated towards the central parts, and at a considerable 

 height. The tortoises, therefore, which frequent the lower districts, when thirsty, 

 are obliged to travel from a long distance. Hence, broad and well-beaten paths 

 branch off in every direction from the wells down to the sea-coast; and the 

 Spaniards by following them up, first discovered the watering-places. When I 

 landed at Chatham Island, I could not imagine what animal travelled so methodi- 

 cally along well-chosen tracks. Near the springs it was a curious spectacle to 

 behold many of these huge creatures, one set eagerly travelling onwards with 

 outstretched necks, and another set returning after having drunk their fill. 

 When the tortoise arrives at the spring, quite regardless of any spectator, he 

 buries his head in the water above his eyes, and greedily swallows great mouth- 

 fuls, at the rate of about ten in a minute. The inhabitants say that each animal 

 stays three or four days in the neighbourhood of the water, and then returns to 

 the lower country ; but they differed respecting the frequency of these visits." 

 After mentioning that some tortoises live on islands where the only water they 

 obtain is that which falls as rain, and also that the inhabitants of the Galapagos 

 Islands, when overcome with thirst, are in the habit of killing a tortoise and 

 drinking the water contained in its interior, the writer proceeds as follows : " The 



