246 



CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES [Proc. 4th Sek. 



Later, Rothschild borrowed this specimen which Baur had 

 examined and, having studied it, concluded^ that it was not 

 the same as Giinther's Testudo elephantopus, and that it was 

 identical with Giinther's Testudo vicina. He, moreover, held 

 that Giinther's Testudo elephantopus was the same as Harlan's, 

 and, a little later,^ expressed the opinion that it came from 

 Hood Island. 



We have, therefore, to consider three questions : 

 1. — Is T. elephantopus from Hood Island? 

 2. — Is Giinther's T. elephantopus the same as Harlan's ? 

 3. — Is it possible to determine what race Harlan's specimen 

 represented ? 



These I shall endeavor to answer in the order in which 

 they are given. 



1. — I think it may be stated postively that neither Harlan's 

 nor Giinther's Testudo elephantopus came from Hood Island. 

 Both are of the broad form, in which the width over the curve 

 exceeds the length over curve, while in the Hood Island race 

 the curved length exceeds the curved width. There are also 

 other points of difference. 



2. — I feel equally positive that the specimen figured by Dr. 

 Giinther is not identical with Harlan's species. The chief 

 points of distinction are: Giinther's specimen has the height 

 to marginals low, while, if one may judge from his plate, 

 Harlan's specimen belonged to one of those races in which 

 this measurement is great. Giinther's specimen has the anterior 

 portion of the carapace expanded, while in Harlan's there is 

 at least an approach to the laterally compressed, "saddle- 

 backed" form. Giinther's specimen, moreover, has a greater 

 straight width than Harlan's, and there are minor points 

 which also lead to the conclusion that the two belong to differ- 

 ent races. The identity of the specimen figured by Giinther 

 will be considered under the heading Testudo giintheri Baur. 



3. — Inasmuch as Harlan did not know that there existed in 

 the Galapagos Islands more than one kind of tortoise, his de- 

 scription is brief and couched in terms so general as to render 



3Novitates Zool., IX, 190'2, p. 448. 

 4Loc. cit., p. 618. 



