THE GIGANTIC LAND-TORTOISES (LIVING AND EXTINCT) IN THE COLLECTION OF THE Bek his MUS E UM. Hat iiSOr GNTHSON ES i \ eo ERAS ALBERT C. L. G. GUNTHER, MCA., M.D:, Px.D., F.B.S., KEEPER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY. NC Wik Sy, aoe Te LA ey/ J 6, Dee OW \ CSCMAR 1 1884) NyLON DO NS Zp, AWA PRINTED BY ORD THE TRUSTEES. SMITHSONae MAY 1 1 1987 LIBRARIES| 1877.
ALERKE O FLAMNAN. PRINIED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET.
NOTICE AFTER CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF THE JINNER MARGIN AND TYPE OF MATERIAL NE HAVE SEWN THIS VOLUME BY HAND D READ.
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PREFACE.
AFTER several unsuccessful attempts to unravel the confused history of the Gigantic Land-Tortoises, I had to resume their investigation in the year 1872 on the receipt of a consignment of remains of the extinct Tortoises of the Mascarenes from L. Bourton, Esq., of Port Louis. Having then ascertained, with the aid of these remains (fragmentary as they were), that the osteology of these animals formed the safest guide to their study, I continued to investigate the subject in that direction, and in 1874 considered my researches sufficiently advanced to begin their publication with a memoir on the Races of the Galapagos Archipelago, which appeared in vol. clxv. of the ‘ Philosophical Transactions.’ Whilst preparing for publication the account of the races inhabiting islands of the Indian Ocean, the following most important materials reached me, by which entirely new facts came to light, and by which I was enabled to correct some of the views expressed in my first paper :— 1. A pair of adult examples, undoubtedly natives of Aldabra, obtained through the mediation of the Hon. Sir ArrnHur H. Gorpon, K.C.M.G., then Governor of Mauritius. 2. The entire series of the remains of the Tortoise of Rodriguez, collected for the Royal Society by H. H. Srarer, Esq. (one of the naturalists accompanying the “ Transit-of-Venus”” Expedition), and transferred by the Council of the Royal Society to the British Museum.
3. A large series of the remains of the extinct Tortoises of Mauritius, collected by the Hon. E. Newton, and kindly placed by him in my hands for examination. 4, The examples of the Tortoises of Albemarle and Abingdon Islands, collected by Commander Cookson, of H.M.S. ‘ Peterel.’
The results of my examination of these materials were originally embodied in two memoirs—one read before the Royal Society on January 25, 1877, the other before the Zoological Society on February 6th of the same year, both being accepted by those Societies for publication in their ‘Transactions.’ Thinking it, however, more convenient
iv to the student to obtain a fully illustrated account of these animals in a connected form, I obtained the permission of both Societies to withdraw my papers for that purpose ; and as by far the greater part of the specimens form part of the National Collection, the Trustees of the British Museum were pleased to accept my proposal to publish the whole as a volume of the series of publications issued from the Zoological Department. Finally, I have to express my thanks to the President and Council of the Royal Society for permission to reproduce for this work the thirteen plates illustrating my first paper in the ‘ Philosophical Transactions.’ The majority of these plates are unaltered reprints ; but in some alterations have been introduced, viz. in Plates XXX., XXXI., XLVI, & XLVII. ALBERT GUNTHER, Keeper of the Department of Zoology.
British Museum, Dec.
19, 1877.
CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION .
SYNOPSIS OF THE EXTINcT AND Livine Gigantic LAND-TORTOISES . ListoFSPECIMENSINTHEBritisHMusEumM THE RackEs OF THE ALDABRA GROUP . Testudoelephantina.
Testudodaudinii.
Testudo ponderosa Testudohololissa.
THE Extinct Races of THE MASCARENES A. of Mauritius (7. triserrata, T. inepta, T. leptocnemis) B. of Rodriguez (7. vosmert) THERACESOFTHEGALAPAGOS. Testudo elephantopus (James Island?) . Testudo nigrita ( Oy) tes Dore Testudo vicina (South of ibemerie Teenie Testudo microphyes \North of Albemarle Island) Testudo ephippium (Charles Island) . : Testudo abingdonii (Abingdon Island) . EXPLANATIONOFTHEPLATES 69