| OCR Text |
Show 178 ON THE TORTOISES ETC OF GALAPAGOS ISLANDS. [Feb. 1, February I, 1876. G. R. Waterhouse, Esq., V.P., in the Chair. The Secretary read the following extract from a Report by Commander Cookson, R.N., of a visit by H.M.S. " Peterel" to the Galapagos Islands in July 1875, which had been communicated to him by the First Lord of the Admiralty :- " A notice of these islands would be incomplete without some reference to the Tortoises for which they are so famous, and from whom they derive their name. " These animals are extinct in Charles Island; and only a very few individuals are supposed to survive on Chatham Island. In Hood, James, and Indefatigable Islands the numbers are so reduced that they are no longer hunted, the few left being in the most inaccessible parts of the islands ; and I was assured that a search of a fortnight might not result in finding a single individual on either of these islands. Albemarle and Abingdon are the only remaining islands in which they have ever been found. In parts of Albemarle Island they are still very abundant, especially at the south-east end. " They are still tolerably numerous near Tagus Cove. Landing a party of twenty-four men about half a mile south-east of Tagus Cove, we found in a few hours thirty tortoises: the three largest weighed respectively 241 lb., 185 lb., and 1 73 lb. ; these, I was told, were as large as they are commonly found now. " Tagus Cove is a favourite resort of whalers for the purpose of getting Tortoises. The anchorage is perfectly secure ; and the custom is for almost the entire crew to be landed until as many Tortoises are secured as can conveniently be taken on board, some whalers going to sea with as many as 100. " W e found a good trail leading from the landing-place (at one of the gullies before mentioned as having pools of fresh water at its mouth) to the ground where the Tortoises are found, a distance of about three miles; quantities of Tortoise shells, and traces of fires showed the numerous camping-grounds. "Tortoises were never, I believe, very abundant on Abingdon Island; our searching party found four on this island. They were on the high ground ; and it was a work of great labour getting them down to the boats. The distance was about four miles; but the ground was exceedingly rugged, and covered with thick brush, through which a trail had to be cut for the entire distance. The largest found on this island weighed 201 lb., and the smallest 135 lb. "In consequence of the extent of Albemarle Island, and the inaccessibility of many parts of it, I have no doubt these animals are still very numerous on it, and are likely to be so for a long period even at the present rate at which they are destroyed ; but I have already shown the havoc made amongst them by the oil-makers. This is the cause of their being nearly extinct on James and Indefatigable |
