58 
TORTOISES AND TURTLES 
shells is of considerable length, and the shell itself stout. On the other hand, in 
the saddled tortoise (T. ephippium) and the Abingdon tortoise (T. abingdoni) the 
same bridge is relatively short, and the shell is remarkable for its thinness; the 
carapace being much narrowed anteriorly, where it is so pinched in at the sides as 
to have a sharp ridge on the hack. In the former of these two species the shell 
still retains the usual bony framework, but in the second it is soft and leathery. 
Both have very long necks, which are carried nearly vertically; and in the 
Abingdon species the notches in the front end of the shell are so large that in a 
front view the animal appears merely to have a kind of mantle thrown over the 
body. It is hard to see what can be the object of this softening and atrophy of 
the shell; but it is quite clear that it renders the animals very liable to injury, and 
thus probably accounts for the fact that none of them have been brought alive to 
Europe. The carapace of this species attains a length of 38J inches, and the 
weight of one individual was just over 200 lbs. 
The best account of the habits of the Galapagos tortoises is one given by 
Darwin, regarding the species figured in our engraving, which inhabits, apparently, 
most of the islands of the group. These tortoises frequent in preference the high 
damp parts, although they likewise live in the lower and arid districts. Very 
numerous in individuals, some grow to such a size that it requires six or eight men 
to lift them, while they will yield as much as 200 lbs. of meat. “ The old males are 
the largest, the females rarely growing to so large a size; the male can be readily 
distinguished from the female by the greater length of its tail. The tortoises 
which live on those islands where there is no water, or in the lower and arid parts 
of the others, feed chiefly on the succulent cactus. Those which frequent the 
higher and damp regions eat the leaves of various trees, a kind of berry, which is 
acid and austere, and likewise a pale green filamentous lichen, that hangs in tresses 
from the boughs of the trees. The tortoise is very fond of water, drinking large 
quantities, and wallowing in the mud. The larger islands alone possess springs, 
and these are always situated towards the central parts, and at a considerable 
height. The tortoises, therefore, which frequent the lower districts, when thirsty, 
are obliged to travel from a long distance. Hence, broad and well-beaten paths 
branch off in every direction from the wells down to the sea-coast; and the 
Spaniards by following them up, first discovered the watering-places. When I 
landed at Chatham Island, I could not imagine what animal travelled so methodi¬ 
cally along well-chosen tracks. Near the springs it was a curious spectacle to 
behold many of these huge creatures, one set eagerly travelling onwards with 
outstretched necks, and another set returning after having drunk their fill. 
When the tortoise arrives at the spring, quite regardless of any spectator, he 
buries his head in the water above his eyes, and greedily swallows great mouth¬ 
fuls, at the rate of about ten in a minute. The inhabitants say that each animal 
stays three or four days in the neighbourhood of the water, and then returns to 
the lower country; but they differed respecting the frequency of these visits.” 
After mentioning that some tortoises live on islands where the only water they 
obtain is that which falls as rain, and also that the inhabitants of the Galapagos 
Islands, when overcome with thirst, are in the habit of killing a tortoise and 
drinking the water contained in its interior, the writer proceeds as follows:—“ The 
