121 



Texas and Mexico, I feel confident that comparison of specimens 

 will show constant distinctions between them. From X. herlan- 

 dieri it differs even more than from carolinus. Besides the serrate 

 margin, which is most distinct in my youngest specimens, (four 

 years) while Agassiz's figure of the young has no serrations, and 

 different coloration ; it has but twenty-four instead of twenty-six 

 marginal scales, (abnormal in his figured specimen ?) and the pri- 

 mary disk of the vertebral scales is more than half as long (antero- 

 posteriorly) as it is broad, instead of about twice as broad as long. 

 The other scales also differ in details of form. 



Three young specimens — a male of seven years age, two females 

 of six and four years — obtained from the mountains of California, 

 near Fort Mojave. 



I take the liberty of naming this fine tortoise after the celebrated 

 Zoologist, whose work on the development, anatomy and classifica- 

 tion of American Turtles (Contrib. to Nat. Hist, of U. S.) leaves 

 nothing to be desired in these particulars. We may hope before 

 long to see his descriptions of the*genera and species, on which he 

 has been engaged for several years, and which, like the tortoise 

 itself, though slow in coming, will doubtless prove of solid worth 

 and durable quality. 



This is the first land tortoise ever found west of the Rocky 

 Mountains, where but one species of the family is known to be 

 common, the terrapin of our markets, {Actinomys marmorata, 

 Agass). The latter I found within the great Utah basin, in the 

 Mojave river, and have also heard of it near Carson Valley and the 

 Upper Columbia river. Two or three other species live near the 

 junction of the Gila and Colorado, and I hear that a land tortoise 

 is common near the Gila, but whether this species or X. herlan- 

 dieri, we do not know. I saw one full grown specimen in the pos- 

 session of an Indian, but was unable to procure it. Broken shells 

 are frequent on the higher parts of the mountains west of the Col- 

 orado, where the Pah-Utes eat them. Judging from these, it seems 

 to attain a length of about a foot. 



I obtained several other reptiles and fish which will probably 

 prove new, but have not yet been able to determine them. 



B. Known species new to the State of California. 

 Mammalia. 



Vulpes velox, (Aud and Bach). — Swift or Kit Fox, Fort Mo- 

 jave, one specimen. 



Tlwynomys icmbrinus, (Baird). — Sonora Gopher-rat, Mojave 

 river bottoms and Cajon Pass. 



Hesperomys austerus, (Baird). — Slate-colored wood-mouse. Fort 

 Mojave, two specimens. 



