( 359 ) 



comparative inattention to strnctnral differences whicli characterised the earlier 

 entomologists, that liofh Guenee described as an Ahraxtts an insect which belonged 

 to another subfamily, the Larentiixie, and Walker referred to the same genus 

 Abraj-as, the identical Larentid with which he had previously misidentified a 

 Boarmin. 



NOTE ON TE8TUD0 8UMEIEEI. 



By WALTER ROTHSCHILD, Ph.D. 



IN May 1898, Mr. Leopold Antelme sent me a giant land tortoise purporting to 

 be an abnormally lavgejemale of Testudo elephantina. Uu its arrival at the 

 London Zoological Gardens, the first discovery I made was that, instead of being 

 a gigantic feni'dc, it was a male of (for elfjihnntina) moderate size, the carapace 

 measuring about thirty-eight inches in a straight line. I immediately examined 

 the animal more closely, and found that it was quite distinct from T. elephantina 

 iu many characters. It was nearly as wide as long, while T. elephantina is half as 

 long again as wide; it was (|uite flat on the top of carapace, while T. elephantina is 

 strongly arched; it was sharply declivous in front, while T. elephantina is much 

 more gradually deflexed; its head was narrower, and lastly, its neck was half as long 

 again, as in T. elephantina. On comparison with the figures and descriptions in 

 Dr. Giinther's monograph, I came to the conclusion that it was an exceedingly large 

 example of the supposed extinct Mauritius species, Testudo inepta, and as such it 

 was registered. Some months afterwards, being struck by the animal's attitudes 

 and action, I had it photographed in a variety of positions, and became at once 

 aware on seeing the prints that I had seen such pictures before. On going through 

 my various jiictures of tortoises, I discovered that my tortoise agreed exactly with 

 the specimen still living in the Artillery Barracks at Mauritius. 1 then proceeded 

 to look up Mr. Sauzier's description of the Mauritius specimen which he named 

 Testudo siimeirei, and 1 found that my animal agreed iu all points with the Mauritius 

 specimen. I therefore have the great pleasure of recording a second living specimen 

 of Testudo sumeirei. 



Now, as to the history of these Testudo sumeirei, it is known that in the year 

 1766 five large tortoises were brought to Mauritius from the Seychelles by the 

 French Chevalier Marion do Fresne, and were known as the Marion tortoises. 

 In the year 1833 one of these was sent by Sir Charles Colville to the London 

 Zoological Gardens, but soon died. A second arrived a few years later. Both these 

 were recorded as 'Testudo indica, as were all giant land tortoises up to 1871 ; since 

 then these two have been supposed to have been Testudo vosmaeri of the Isle of 

 Kodriguez, but evidently were two J', sumeirei. 



'Testudo sumeirei is a little-known species whose characters have not been well 

 diagnosed, for being only known from living specimens, the essential and osteologicat 

 features have not been available for examination. It w^as thought by Mr. Sauzier 



