MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 67 
the aquatic Amblyrhynchus crawling about upon the lava rocks, close 
to the water’s edge. Neither at Chatham, Charles, nor Duncan did I 
see any specimens of the terrestrial species. 
Captain Tanner in speaking of the anchorage off Duncan Island says: 
“We anchored in fifteen fathoms in an open bay on the northeast side 
of Duncan Island. We were off a conspicuous gorge in the mountain 
side, and about two hundred yards to the southward of a small islet 
which lay directly in front of it, and about fifty yards from the shore. 
Its surface was covered with bushes and other vegetation, which dis- 
tinguishes it from rocks farther to the southward. There was an excel- 
lent landing place for boats inside of the islet. The general appearance 
of Duncan Island was green, bushes and cactus being distributed over 
its surface. There is no living water on the island, yet it is a favorite 
resort for the celebrated galapagos.” 
The northern and northeastern islands of the group are far more bar- 
ren than the central and southern. This is natural, as neither Bindloe 
nor Abingdon is high enough to reach the altitude where in the larger 
islands we find a comparatively moist and cool climate, and where the 
high plateau is fairly fertile and capable of cultivation. On the Admi- 
ralty charts, according to the survey of Fitzroy, Bindloe is not more 
than 800 feet, and Abingdon has only a small area above 1,000 feet. 
So that, as far as we could judge while sailing by these islands, they 
hold an intermediate position as regards their appearance between such 
islands as Duncan and Wenman, and the larger, higher, and more fertile 
islands Chatham and Charles. Tower Island we did not sight. Seen 
from the ship, the geological structure of Abingdon and of Bindloe did 
not differ from that of the other islands of the group. Bindloe as seen 
from the west resembles Chatham somewhat, but is more broken by cra- 
ters, and a large part of the southern face of the island is covered by 
a huge flow of black lava rocks, standing out in bold relief against the 
green slopes surrounding it on every side. 
Bindloe, although so much broken up by its many craters, forms only 
a single mass, the craters being arranged in a somewhat irregular ring 
around the plateau which constitutes its centre. 
The eastern face of Wenman is a perpendicular cliff. The top of the 
island is covered with a thin coating of green, consisting of tall grass, 
and of a scant vegetation, and is evidently more barren than Duncan 
Island. Its eastern face seems to have been sloughed off. 
Culpepper Island we passed in the dark. 
