10 « — 
land-turtle -which is in great abundance. Small vessels 
ae constantly employed in transporting them by thou- 
sands to the Isle of Mauritius for the service of the hos- 
pital.” 
P. 101. c; The principal point of view (in Rodrigues) is, 
first, the Prench Governor’s house, or rather that of the Su- 
perintendent, appointed by the Governor of the Isle of France, 
to direct the cultivation of the gardens there, and to overlook 
the park of land-turtles. Secondly, the park of land-turtles 
which is on the sea-shore facing the house.” 
7. The rescue and protection of these animals is, however, 
recommended to the Colonial Government less on account of 
their utility (which now-a-days might be questioned in con- 
sideration of their diminished number, reduced size and slow 
growth, and of the greatly improved system of provisioning 
ships which renders the crews independent of such casual as- 
sistance) than on account of the great scientific interest at- 
tached to them. With the exception of a similar tortoise in 
the Galapagos islands (now also fast disappearing) that of the 
Mascarenes is the only surviving link reminding us of those 
still more gigantic forms which once inhabited the Continent 
of India in a past geological age. It is one of the few rem- 
nants of a curious group of animals once existing on a largo 
submerged continent of which the Mascarenes formed the 
highest points. It nourished with the Dodo and Solitaire, 
and whilst it is a matter of lasting regret that not even a few 
individuals of these curious birds should have had a chance 
of surviving the lawless and disturbed condition of past cen- 
turies, it is confidently hoped that the present Government 
and people who support the “ Royal Society of Arts and 
