Vol. II, Pt. I] VAN DENBURGH— GALAPAGOS TORTOISES 



243 



group, has been formed by the union of several smaller islands, 

 corresponding, probably, to its five great volcanoes. Accord- 

 ingly, v^e find on Albemarle five distinct races of tortoises, 

 each of which, I believe, originated upon one of these con- 

 stituent volcanoes prior to their union. If this view be cor- 

 rect, some of these races have since spread to other portions 

 of Albemarle Island, but each race still is found either in 

 greatest numbers or alone upon that portion of the island 

 where it originated. Thus one finds at Bank's Bay, in the 

 northern part of Albemarle, a kind of tortoise not found else- 

 where. The region about Tagus Cove, in north-central Albe- 

 marle, has tortoises of but one race, which race, however, 

 seems to occur also on the southern coast of Albemarle. The 

 same is true of Iguana Cove, while on Vilamil Mountain and in 

 the adjoining portions of the island is found still another race, 

 which does not occur elsewhere. The Cowley Mountain tor- 

 toise seems nearly identical with that of Indefatigable Island; 

 but this conclusion is based upon a single female specimen, not 

 adult, and I believe that a good series of specimens would lead 

 to a different result. 



The present state of our knowledge indicates, then, that 

 there once lived in the Galapagos Archipelago fourteen or 

 fifteen distinct races of gigantic land tortoises, each occupying 

 its own island, as follows: 



ISLAND PRESENT STATUS 



1. Abingdon Rare 



2. James Rare 



3. Jervis Very rare 



4. Duncan Fairly abundant 



5. Indefatigable Not rare 



6. Barrington Extinct 



7. Chatham Nearly extinct 



8. Hood Very rare 



9. Charles Extinct 



10. Narborough Very rare 



11. Vilamil, Albemarle Abundant 



12. Iguana Cove, Albemarle Numerous 



13. Tagus Cove, Albemarle Fairly numerous 



14. Bank's Bay, Albemarle Fairly numerous 



15. Cowley Mt, Albemarle Rare 



It now becomes necessary to consider what names are appli- 

 cable to these various races. 



