256 
DR. A. GUNTHER ON GIGANTIC LAND-TORTOISES. 
and very slender; their head is proportioned to it, and strongly resembles that of a serpent. 
.... No animal can possibly afford a more wholesome, luscious, and delicate food than 
they do. . . . What seems the most extraordinary in this animal is the length of time 
that it can exist without food ; for I have been well assured that they have been piled 
away among the casks in the hold of a ship, where they have been kept eighteen months, 
and when killed at the expiration of that time were found to have suffered no diminu- 
tion in fatness or excellence. They carry with them a constant supply of water in a 
bag at the root of the neck, which contains about two gallons ; and on tasting that 
found in those we killed on board, it proved perfectly fresh and sweet. ... In the day- 
time they appear remarkably quick-sighted and timid, drawing their head into their 
shell on the slightest motion of any object; but they are entirely destitute of hearing, 
as the loudest noise, even the firing of a gun, does not seem to alarm them in the 
slightest degree ; and at night, or in the dark, they appear perfectly blind ” (p. 150). 
Near a bay on the north-east part of James Island, Porter took on board as many as 
would weigh about 14 tons, the individuals averaging about 60 pounds — that is, about 
500 individuals (p. 214) ; and he states that “ among the whole only three were male, 
which may be easily known by their great size, and from the length of their tails, which 
are much longer than those of the females. As the females were found in low sandy 
bottoms, and all without exception were full of eggs, of which generally from ten to 
fourteen were hard, it is presumable that they came down from the mountains for the 
express purpose of laying. This opinion seems strengthened by the circumstance of 
there being no male Tortoises among them, the few we found having been taken 
a considerable distance up the mountains The temperature of the air of the 
Gallipagos Islands varies from 72° to 75° ; that of the blood of the Tortoise is always 
62°. . . . The eggs are perfectly round, white, and of 2^ inches diameter ” 
(pp. 215, 216). 
Very significant are Porter’s remarks as regards the differences of the Tortoises from 
different islands. On Porter’s Island “ they were generally of an enormous size, one of 
which measured 5^ feet long, 4|- feet wide, and 3 feet thick ; and others were found by 
some of the seamen of a larger size” (p. 164). “ The shells of those of James Island 
are sometimes remarkably thin and easily broken, hut more particularly so as they 
become advanced in age Those of James Island appear to be a species entirely 
distinct from those of .Hood’s and Charles Islands. The form of the shell of the latter 
is elongated, turning up forward in the manner of a Spanish saddle, of a brown colour, 
and of considerable thickness. They are very disagreeable to the sight, but far superior 
to those of J ames Island in point of fatness, and their livers are considered the greatest 
delicacy. Those of James Island are round, plump, and black as ebony, some of 
them handsome to the eye ; but their liver is black, hard, when cooked,” &c. (pp. 214, 
215). The Tortoises of Hood’s Island were small, similar to those of Charles Island 
(p. 233). 
Before we pass from Porter to his successors we must mention that he proceeded, 
