212 WILD ANIMAL CELEBRITIES 



tortoise, who is about three hundred and sev- 

 enty years old. Buster arrived at the Park 

 with five other companions from the desolate 

 grounds of the Galapagos Islands. He weighs 

 about three hundred and fifty pounds, and his 

 legs remind one of the legs of a young ele- 

 phant; he is able to carry two men on his 

 back, for his strength is immense. 



His capture must have been a vast under- 

 taking, except that, beyond puffing and blink- 

 ing, Buster made no resistance whatever. 

 True, he tried to walk away several times 

 but, not being very active, it did no good. 

 After his capture "it gave twelve men several 

 days' hard work to get him down from the 

 volcanic ground where he was found to the 

 nearest coast, which was about fourteen miles 

 away. 



Buster has had no startling adventures dur- 

 ing his residence in the Park. He lives in 

 the Reptile House in the winter and just out- 

 side in an enclosure in the summer; during 

 the summer time he is fed upon watermelons. 

 He can eat two large melons at a meal and 



