392 UTILITARIAN ZOOLOGY 



called an interesting pet. Gilbert White has immortalized one 

 specimen, which was over forty years old when it came into his 

 possession in 1780, and died fourteen years later. But, for lon- 

 gevity, it would be hard to beat some of the huge land-tortoises 

 which were at one time common in the islands of the Indian 

 Ocean. Regarding one species (Testudo Sumeirei] Gadow makes 

 the following interesting remarks (in The Cambridge Natural 

 History)'- " This kind is supposed to have been the species 

 peculiar to the Seychelles. In 1766 five large tortoises were 

 brought from the Seychelles to Mauritius by Chevalier Marion 

 de Tresne. Of these only three were alive in 1898, two in 

 Mauritius and one in London; the latter specimen soon died in 

 the Zoological Gardens. One of the two survivors, the last of 

 their race, is famous. It was kept at Port Louis, and when 

 Mauritius became a British possession in 1810 the tortoise was 

 especially mentioned and taken over. It still [1900] lives there 

 in the grounds of the barracks of the garrison. According to 

 the proverbial oldest inhabitants, it had in 1810 already reached 

 its present size, namely, a shell-length of about 40 inches, with 

 a greatest circumference of ... 8 feet 6 inches. When walking- 

 it 'stands about . . . 25.4 inches high, . . . and it can then carry 

 with ease two full-grown men on its back. This old male is now 

 nearly blind, but is otherwise of regular habits and in good health. 

 Although it has been known for nearly 150 years, it had to wait 

 for its scientific name until the year 1892." 



AMPHIBIANS (AMPHIBIA) AS PETS 



Ordinary Toads and Frogs have at times been subjected to 

 domestication, and are by no means wanting in interest and in- 

 telligence, The pretty little Green Tree- Frogs of Europe (Hyla 

 arbored) are less known as pets than they deserve to be. In 

 North and Central America the Horned Toad (Pkrynosoma) is 

 subjected to a certain amount of domestication. 



FISHES (PISCES) AS PETS 



The greatest favourite in the aquarium is probably the Gold- 

 Fish (Carassius auratus, fig. 1276), a kind of carp native to China 

 and Japan. Domestication has eliminated dark pigment from its 



