Giant Tortoises

Otago Witness, Issue 2558, 25 March 1903, Page 64

Giant Tortoises

It is well known that several of the specica cf giant tortoises inhabiting oceanic islands in great number.; a century or two ago were exterminated without properly identified specimens being preserved in museums, and it is therefore a matter of great interest when specimens of these lost species turn up in collections A case in \ oint ifr afforded by the shell of one of these tortoises (measuring 32iin in a straight line) lecently purchased by Mr Walter Rochschild for his collection at Trim?. The specimen was originally in Bullock's Museum, which was ono of the sights of London in the early part of la'-t cntury, and was entered in the catalogue as the "Indian tortoise" (Testudo indica). At the sale of Bullock's Museum it passed into the possession of the late Mr "Wallace, of Distington, Cumberland, and was acquired by its preeent owner at tho dispersal cf that gentleman's collection. It is clearly on© of the Galapagos tortoises, and in the December issue of Novitates Zoologies? has been described by Mr Rothschild under the name of Testudo wallacei. From the fact that between the year* 1800 aud 1835 most of th tortoises chipped from the Galapagos were obtained on James and Chatham Islands, and that those from the. former ishnd were known to have had round shells, Mr Rothschild is of opinion that !>is specimen, which is of the elongate type, belong* to the extinct Chatham Island toitoi^p, of which it ia the only known example. A nfiond new species of giant Galapagos toitoir-e was described in the same serial by Mi Rcthrcliild in the autumn of 1901, under the name of Testudo becki, in honour of Mr R. H. Beck, who ha» been engaged in collecting tjiese reptiles. It comes from the north point of Albwnarle Island, and is allied to the remarknble thin-shelled "-addle-backed" toitoi»>o of Abingdon I-land, n mounted specimen of which is exhibited in the Natural History Museum. But this does not cxhau.st the list of new Galapagos torloises. In 1889 the late Dr George Baur gave the name of Testudo salap'apoensis to the shell of a large tortoice from Charles Island preserved in the museum of the Boston Society of Natural Rietory. No adequate description .vaf at that timo given, but in the December number of the journal already cited Dr Gunther gives a full and illustrated account not only of t! is specimen, but of three other examples which have turned up in American museums Tho s>peeie-3 is another member of the eaddlc-baeked group, and, if not already exterminated, is now probably of extreme rarity. As late, however, &6 the year 1832, when the crew of a frigate are reporred to have taken no less thar 200 in a single day. thc=o tortoises were exceedingly abundant on Charles Island.— Field.

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