The: San Francisco Sunday^CatlL

Academy of Sciences ex-

TheRARE FINDS MADE BY
CALIFORNIA
pedition has just returned from a SCIENTISTS
IN
seventeen months' trip to theTHE
Gal- GALAPAGOS
apagosISLANDS
Islands, bringing back
among other things the largest
living turtle. It weighs 500
pounds and is probably over 2000
years old. The expedition "was
highly successful, and its treas-
ures form a nucleus for the new
Academy collection.

Enos Brown
equator, about equidis-
the

ON' from the coast of the

tant
republic of Ecuador and the
Isthmus of Panama, He the vol-
canic group of islands known to geog-
raphers as the Galapagos, once a de-
pendency of Spain, but after several
mutation* of ownership now conceded
to belong to Ecuador. The Galapagos,
of themselves, have no history, but
much of the romance that attracts to
remote, mysterious ""and lnfrequented
regions. Tales of buried treasures con-,
cealed by buccaneers and pirates of
*arly history mingle with tradition and
surmise until the authenticity of the
narrative Is lost and the facts disap-
pear altogether.
The Islands are beyond the common
avenues of commerce and trade, and
are visited only by the curious or the
chance mariner who may sail out of his crease "by destroying the young. Tb»
way to replenish water supplies or re- capltaV'of the islands is Progreso. Tint
place stores depleted by a too prolonged natives are mild and peaceful. Nature
supplies* their simple wants with prodi-
voyage. Uninteresting- as the islands gal .hand. -natural re-
In
may be from an economic standpoint, to sources'in construction' the peo-ple dls-
the scientist no groups in the world are playcdnslderable ingenuity and an ar-
.tfsticjsense .which frequently j surprises
richer in all that interest the biolo- and. pleases. .While '
the Galapagos have
gist,, ornithologist, botanist, or even
.been." visited, 7many times by isolated
the paleontologist; for, in no similar 'sclentlsts/'no studled or combined ex-
group is there to be found a fuller dis- ploration for purely scientific purposes
has. ever, been attempted. ' The field has
play of remarkable types and species, .long
' been ".known~ to";be fruitful.and
either of flora or fauna, than that likely..to",' richly repay most careful
found In richest profusion In the Gala- study.' r The San Francisco Academy
pagos. \u25a0of; Sciences i had .accomplished much in
expeditions to, islands of the coast of
The origin of the archipelago in-' "CaUfornla" and- Mexico and Lower Cali-
volves no geological mysterj\ Evidence fornia 'and' established a jreputation for
of fgneous formation is found on every !thoroughness lof equipment, carefulnesi
sof 'research 'and-, technical quality of Its
mountain peak and In each grain of. wotje'that; premised -most re-
sand. When the world was young, vol- sults".*-The. academy ;was rapidly tak-
ing•a-high' place. In'« the. world and ful-
filling;tlie^vaat -designs ,of •Its founders
canic action was rupon the grandest
scale. Gigantic eruptions from the when'.thV calamity .of/April.Inflicted its
ghastly wound/.^yNo .scientist. can xeal-
• lz'e . the * loss * of '"those"?.
ocean's bed gradually emerged from the
sea and built up vast bodies of rock,
which becamo permanent as -Islands,
'
mological .and botanical
gathered by the^expendUure of so great
;
.
wonderful -, ento-

forming groups like the archipelago of
Galapagos, mere mountains In fathom-,
less depths, only the summits being
visible. The age which produced these
Islands was one of intense igneous ac-
tion on sea and land. Imagination can
depict a navigator rounding the south-
ern extremity of the Western Hemi-
sphere and sailing to the extreme north,
of the Pacific Ocean, lighted every step
of the way by the flames of active vol-
canoes, now quiescent.
The Galapagos .onsist of
islands of considerable size and as
many islets too diminutive for occupa-
tion except by innumerable flocks of
sea birds of new and rare types,* a de-
light to the ornithologist. Eaehisland
Is a cor.c with an extinct crater at the
summit. The only evidence of heat
remaining is found in multitudes of
thermal springs gushing out at vari-
ous altitudes, many at a boiling tem-
perature. Hundreds of craters are. to
* found In the islands, all extinct.
be
The mainland" is distant 600 miles,
hut the flora and fauna of the islands
and the neighboring continent are al-
most Identical. The migration of spe-
cies can be accounted for by natural-
ists and is easily explained. The evo-
lution of plant life in every phase,
under* different environments, may be
studied in the Galapagos to the best
advantage. Darwin visited the islands
"
many years ago and declared hjs
theories needed no other confirmation
than was found In that distant group.
The Gal&pagos are as distinct in
their climatic peculiarities as In their
fauna. The equator bisects them and,
under ordinary conditions, the climate
should be torrid and the heat almost
insupportable; but' the contrary is
true. The temperature is remarkably
lt>w for an equatorial latitude, for rea-
sons which, to the ignorant, are. mys-
terious, but which may be easily ex-
plained. What/ is called the great
"Peruvian current" of the South Pa-
cific pours in vast volume from the
frozen Antarctic to fill the chasm left
by the enormous evaporation at* the
equator. The navigator of those torrid
seas welcomes his entry Into the cur-
rent for the agreeable change of tem-
perature'which the cooling atmosphere
affords. Right in the. midst of the
channel of the cool ocean current the
Galapagos are situated. .The tempera-
ture is sensibly modified and. while
labor and research, without a pang. Tho '
library;.so" well • appolnted'ajid ricn with
all .technical conclusions;; may ,be par-
tially restored;, but all"the: original re-^
ports and.papers contributed by expert*
who have .passed \ away, have been lost
beyond r recovery; ; The /Academy of
Sciences lost three-quarters of a million,
"\u25a0in imoney, v-- Its usefulness is not do-
stroyed, only ' delayed. .
In 1905 the academy determined to .
send a party to scientifically, explore
the Galapagos Islands and selected fort .
the expedition Captain R~ K. as .:
chief: W. H. Ochsner. ".geologist*
> and-
paleontologist: J. R. Sevin. herpetol-
twenty
ogst; E. W. Gifford. ornithologist; F.
weighing, some of:.them.".- 500; pounds,"
and until those at the Galapagos were.'
discovered, supposed to be.t he largest
existing species..,. .. .•
A couple
' of hundred yearg; ago navi-
gators brought , tales of monsters ;~~ot
mountainous • size which had; been '- seen •
in the Galapagos Islands. .* The '^talps
were too exaggerated;* for!-'even"; that
gullible:age 'and -were '.'dismissed /as
truth ;of
false and Ifanciful:/ \u25a0',The ;real :
the early, narrations "\u25a0* was -not? e'stab-"'
lished until•early* in; thG';last\century,v
when tho. islands; became 'the">resort'"of!
American' whalers, Y" who ' found'; the;
group a convenient "resort* to; refit;and]
water: preparatory to'" their,-; extended'
voyages IntoltheTSouth) Seas. > The*isl--
—
ands'were • described- as 'swarming.^with..
countless multitudes' oft tortoises :of im-";
mensedlmenslonsrsome,' Jt was, assert-'
ed, weighing over half-a^ton..iThe truth
Investigated*- his •*;unaccustomed
-
sur- ;X.,.WilHams, entomologist: J. S. Hunter,
of these statements^ was .'afterward -'es-- '
roundings owithii^somethlng^of » an;
ap- ornithologist:^ Alvan Stewart, botan-
pearance', of jinterest. -It'.may 3be ? that t ist,'* and >E.S.". King, assistant herpetol-
tabllshed and 'specimens^ weighing 1200
pounds •have >ince' been .'captured.
\u25a0

• '
a' home ..will,be provided In Golden Gate- oglst.-•;.\u25a0; The schooner con-
at isca level it is hot. at an elevation
assertions as to the number of themon-i
\\ The Park {for? the aged ,'s tran ger. (and if;so 7 t.veyed theparty. to their destination and
likely^to'"prove a' greater curiosity :proved* a stanch? and. roomy craft and
he^is
of 2000 feet a delightful change
-
\u25a0
Is sters were confirmed. "... Had *so iinter-'
manifested.
titude,
treme
Once arriving at this al-
a temperature
than that of the coast of South-
no more ex- .
estlng a discovery Ibeen left for. the
present day the -fate- of'the* giant- tor-1
;than'.;the?far-farned^ grizzly/ \Tortolse '\ a" comfortable" sailer.
afel vegetarians 4 and ~< livingV examples
I'.of-vth*e>ldhg"-'years .Well- equipped -. with - apparatus, the
whlchvcome to"*those Academy ,sail ed ' for;the ;south June 2 S.
\u25a0

ern California Is experienced. •' The toise of the Galapagos would. 'have been who t:confine > !
;
themselves*, strictly to a \ *,
1905." and ,after > a ,brief stop at several
change from the intense heat of the less brief or tragic. ; 'j- '?. vegetable Jdiet, " f iTheir ifood s Is v the ;ten- ;islands on \ the Mexican coast; as well
vegetation. ;\u25a0 .\u25a0. \ as .visltingithje
"
tropics to the moderation of temperate The Yankee whalers,; who \u25a0\u25a0were ['the': der; shoots from*tropical; >
climes is stimulating and delightful., were earliest Americans to visit-the -islands/ ,-^Of/ the: specimens \whlch"died; on »the , millions of- island *of Cocos,* wheTe
pirate-gold
especially, concerned, because, voyagei^the skeletons *;were •', preserved * ;thus far, escaped.
\u25a0\u25a0
concealed have
~ of the'ered-
the. '! ulous. v the ;party the search.
""
A Sanitarium for Panama financially interested. Inv concealing \u25a0 and r several •;hundred «••are J now Sini arrived at the "Gala-
the details of the; excellent r'rendez- \u25a0 temporary^ shelter (of -ithe :•Academy ,*>of pagos on
llains in the islands, at the sea, level ;vous which the' islands- .afforded: tne 23th of the following Sep-
:Sciences,'- and form'.a igrreat heap. v each * tember: >Headquartera k

are not oven copious; but as the as- Moreover, the pious, -navigator V; : jsomel, distinct f were immedi-
cent to higher altitudes is made,^ pre- the
of ages.' In this -mariner, the- extermlna;;; rlvlng{at *,the i
early .part:"\.:'ofV, 'the.-, nine- tion (of the ,tortolse ;
\u25a0

''
Islands/" these Vdogs • ac- generate canines -.have also'- discovered displaying * ' ately ;;established ;and for a year the
.herd' began. ">\u25a0 * .' cojnpanied-the*: crewlas'h'ori, land* In*the j-.the'delectablequalltiesfof !marking the jspecies'; of'which fitUs a ? party were; industriously employed In
"^
'
cipitation increases until;' on arriving, teenth century thought tortoise^ eggs these //skeletons'* : saillngback and
-it .neither1 ibe-'- Later/; the member. ;-f
- fare^ valuable,! and ;are .probably * worth to • another. ;.uhtlllforth
;

. -
; discovered ;•*7that ;an -fi haste!, of"'departure many/were>lef tibe- $ ragout,' and fdisplayi instinctive iingenui 5
from one Island
at the Fuinmit of the' mountains rain neath his dignity.nor against'the strict 1
is almost perpetual from condensation principles- of the* Puritan*, conscience Ho unlimited* amount ;-of t excellent lllumi-^ hind with:' no /master UoV attach- them- lty,"inJ the^ search>for ?the> nest where $150: each.. ,;;\The. shell •IsVnbt^s6lld^,"as* 1ted.";-.v •; •not ; all
'twenty rwere vis-
\u25a0 \u25a0 <

to, and) doomed' to 1runlwild• and the i

of the clouds which always envelop indulge in a little smuggling, on ,\u25a0 his natlilg-oircould'be'";had byjbolllng down? selves ' - eggs :may,? betdeposited.'A' Thus I lt Is surprising ;withtso en-
them. The temperate conditions pre- own account. 'The, lslands; were ran, in-; business
vailing have suggested, a new'and.be- •
valuable resort for exchanging Hhe :to-
-
the Igreat: reptiles, ;and;engaged? In,the~' to aive >as^their tnatural -Instincts :Jm^ extinction? ofothe'glantnortolseTatt the
' *-on
Galapagos.;- It bacco and'calicoes ofiNeWjEhgland^for! Several'^bojllng,' factories
-!quite T an ; extensive v;
scale.
\u25a0
." pelled.'^. Incredible*: though '|It"mayjap-. Sjlnstancelof^wild|dogsHs;inevitable:
:.i? pear, the -.final,
t

extinction of ithe great ?s^,The $ scientists /ofi the facademy; were

the
s :'
\u25a0 many f,su'ppbse.vjbu t ''is \u25a0*composed

scence \otlhornyj growth; ibesides, it ls

of> \ a
\u25a0

;leathery; cone,; covered ;wlth*an > excres^; thusiastic

\u25a0•

; so
a party and~one scientifically
capable. Z>at :theobject'of the. expe-
dition' should .- have been fulfilled to
neticcnt mission for.th~e :
lished and -the; decimation". "of .tortoise. Is to | be 'brought! about tby-i the fortunate;- quite flexible.; :'.-':•-\u25a0» . the^ letter. v '-While -detailed -reports of
i<The physical ;aspect; "ofJ the Galapagos progress ;have 'not ye t -been iissued ;and
is suggested that they be acquired as a. bullion of » the smugglers sof j
X " InJsecuringf alive probably V; t

sanitarium for the wornout and-debil- extraction .who defrauded Hhe> Kingrof discovery toise *.was;proceedlng|rapidlyiwhen^ the 1! descendants iofv^the*mqHgrels ;;deserted £ the largest • specimen 1 now <in jexistence
itated workers at Panama.
'
*
The dis- • his .legitimate jrevenue's * from the •* cus- •
tance is not great and the change. from toms by. surreptitious -and" informal \ tof J5 petroleum, -\ a^ better »*and '\u25a0>} byiYankee iWhalerstandSleft 2 to fstarve ? of^ the jancient f,race" ofi
cheaper/ illuminant, Ithrewjthe. tortoise- > Inithe Galapagos 1Islands/;\The fBtran ge $iItilsia\mbnsterj 'of J flesh, j-weighing> not
iim'-: oil industry! out]of ibusiness
land tortoises." has^been*^
'\u25a0 group '^ frequently described." >• The : may not ; -
\u25a0

.be. ready, for months yet. it

is :{composed \u25a0"•>;of r • islands of * can: be; said vwith con fldenco that the"
'
\u25a0

the sickening environment of Panama portatlons. >In'.'; addition, "the i>Yankee! a^letup [arid--'caused^ -. fact*;* ls if, authenticated | beyond ? a'^ doubt.";
* less than 00:£ ; pounds;; 'and\wa"s :probably
V5
considerable .^dlme— sions rr and : v
many Galapagos 'lslands '.< are' no longer, un^
'the navigator' found 'the Galapagos a haven ! inithe \ slaughter :^ofI the 5 inno- v The :{great
- ture iwhlchl.wears its fc only1a! you th^when >Jullus ;ss; Caesar/ was
- islets /;. which v;r have r been wornI s Into: kta6wn»lni the -full'and complete; scien-
tific s meaning\of » the 'term. vThe, - party
to the cool, bracing atmosphere
healing of ;rest .'.and; recuperation.;".: Bathirigjin' cent and Uinnumerable T quadrupeds \ at iskeleton ontthe Jouts!de>and ;apparently^ I'anJ lnfan t]in^arms^The; expedition "dls- fantastic "3 forms'- iby<* ages'
islands, with, their ; ;' many
springs, would work a quick recovery ;the ;
for the sick.
thermal springs Irestored?elasticity the ': hands ("offman. ;;^^v. : /-..
to "the; system' eneryated^byjhardshipsl
= ...
iis protectedlat Jevery| possible jpoint^of s covered; a'inumber/ofinew^species of sthe
\u25a0\u25a0

attackJis-beingigraduallyjkilledtoffiby,' .{,tortolse;j.every4; Island % offering i speci-v

In various parts of the: earth, mostly and- overexertion. >r Copious. supplies \u25a0'. of• Wild^Dogs jEat
confined to islands of the
* '"
* *
tropics, is a sweet 'water could £be procured,*"? and,'::- But the ;final, extinction ;6f ;thesetrare
\u25a0
lngiT seas.' > -iTherev\may
;
." -of Vwear-'
'
be 1-500 in- found ;new"specles of .plants and new
.b'abitants/.whof live a useless and care- fruits. -The herpetologist-'ls' astonished
; in";some » respects 'so
' Jthe Turtles ;;
means !thatJseemt absolutely,* worthless •S mens ;of (the Ifamilyi
m ; • and SCcontemptible^«>TheTAcademy - of j'differeiitiasjtorentitlejthemUo
;free;llfe,"andiHupp"lyi their,simple, wants at ,* the ,developments."- while**the .geolo-
Science's !explorers !founds hundreds ftof k;a* new^type.% s Many^ere lcap tured alive,
? raqkTas byjlaborlngronUhe,' occasional- coffee ;or 5 gist :and/ paleontologist chronicle the
-

family of land tortoises widely,dlstrib-, better than "either,-' invhls^estimation, '

1
sugar -" plantations i;to,be Jfourid'"' in \the discovery^ ot^certain-; fossils ?that "are
monsters >£was J to"i,be 2 accomplished ;by|tortoises ithat , 4 had"
been- killed ?by/dog's, t.but 5 on* the| voyage I home ;the'majoTity, islands. j:\u25a0>A5considerable l i
'
business a In newno;the scientific .world. ;
uted and chiefly "remarkable for' their, -great herds of, tortoise; costing-nothing' more insignificant*
size. Madagascar is noted for themo'n-' "but "the .-slight;, exertion :!of capture,' '
in ;their^
, periodical
means.^Thelwhalers
;J;
J voyages were ;al- *
'•) which'- gnawi the Ifleshf.where 1it canjbe assuccumb'edgtof<cold.T4,Those
.reached tandrleave^theipoor/.tortoiset to Vpprty seemed -1dispirited uapd'^hope"! ess :
breaching cattlejralslhg UsYpursued?,by i.the- more "t is- described • as harmonious, each,work-
The party
strous specimens to be found there, and; "which might be'; bundled intoFthe fhold waysj .-. accompanied i,by|friendly fcaninesV?;
;dle|from|inabilityjlto^moye,^or;Sfrom fan^lwilHng|t6Vdiefatithe;earliestimo?
enterprislng.^who | suffer J greatlyj from ingto the best of his ability to accom-
theldepredatibhsTof ithe (wild:dogs-re- plish his /duties^and -bring distinction'
certain islands of the West Indies 'are and furnish! an unlimited ;
populated by these great' reptiles. : fresh :
supply; « of' fayo rites"; of;Vthe
v pr6longed- voy- aboard ':\u25a0 for;, the « ..crew/and
meat'for\the'most
§ permitted I .the jeffects j'ofifits J. wounds ~rinflicted t-hy*1 ment. f*.^The * v llvlng^monsterj appe'ared'i
ferred •to,\whlchjkill?"and!malm'the~ca.t- ' upon r.the"great;lnstitution by which he
sailors' fdlverslon. w^A"rr- the :tceth?6fKhe^wildtdOSS.
""_-.; ..:'•' ~.-;r. \u25a0.-';\u25a0_ -\u25a0;•,• p. •\u25a0\u25a0-\u25a0'. -t
~ " ; ':Theseide-* --
•
Ito
'' '• •
' be *
*"'v
quite
• *''
r : '\u25a0'
•' -""
'
.'lively f fof a.% tortoise^and
\u25a0

f--- -^
tie,in-large'numbers JandUlniitl tho" in- was ;dispatched: :
1
\u25a0'-.\u25a0• •'•'.-• 'fIP i\\ .'\u25a0" -y.-
\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0'\u25a0\u25a0 ''\u25a0'"'"• "'•\u25a0\u25a0'•' i\u25a0 \u25a0 -'.
t
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\u25a0->- *-.*.\u25a0;.-\u25a0>-. f