OBSERVATIONS ON TESTUDO NIGRITA — WAITE. 
97 
further handled, we had to make the best of things. Although 
not so good, the photograph (Plate xxi., Fig. 1) shows sufficiently 
the principal secondary sexual characters ; these are : — the great 
concavity of the plastron, the angular aspect of the xiphiplastral 
plates, and the comparatively long tail. 
At the time of my visit, the upper posterior portion of the 
carapace of the female was much abraided, owing to the efforts of 
the male, who had been paying her considerable attention. 
As each tortoise has its individual history, the two may now 
be treated separately. 
The Male Tortoise. 
The male was commonly called “ Rotumah ” in the gardens and 
is, I find, directly traceable to the Galapagos Group, but from which 
island it was obtained is not known. This is to be regretted, as 
it is the only species whose definite habitat has not been 
ascertained. 
For particulars of the early history of this tortoise I am 
indebted to Miss Annie C. E. MacDonald. About the year 1866 
it was given to her father, the late Alexander MacDonald, by 
King George of Tonga, and was what was called a “ chief’s gift,” 
that is, a gift supposed to pass between two great chiefs of equal 
standing. When taken to Tonga from Rotumah, the reptile 
caused a great sensation among the natives, and was presented to 
Mr. MacDonald in recognition of his kindness to the King’s son 
when in Sydney, both father and son having taken a violent fancy 
to the well-known trader. 
The tortoise was brought to Sydney in the schooner “ Ida,” one 
of MacDonald and Smith’s whalers. Captain Howard, who was 
in command of the vessel, had known the tortoise for fifty years 
previously on the island of Rotumah, it having been landed there 
from the Galapagos Islands by an American whaler many years 
before. It was within the memory of the inhabitants, always of 
the same size. 
From 1866 to the end of 1896 the tortoise lived in Sydney, and 
at the later date was removed to England, having been purchased, 
I understand, by the Hon. Walter Rothschild for his menagerie 
at Tring. When the tortoise passed into the possession of Mr. 
MacDonald he had it photographed, and the accompanying illus- 
tration (Plate xx.) is reproduced from a copy kindly lent by Miss 
MacDonald. On the margin of this copy are a number of measure- 
ments made by the owner at the time. These 1 reproduce (in lit.) 
below : — Ft. in. 
Length, nose to tail ... ... ... 6 2 
,, shell ... ... ... ... 4 7^ 
,, across shell ... ... ... 5 10J 
„ under shell ... ... ... 3 0 
Girth ... ... ... ... ... 8 3 
