TESTUDO ELEGANS. 5 



Colour. — Head and feet yellowish, more or less marbled with brownish. This species is 

 readily recognized by the beautiful markings of the shell ; it is black, with yellow areolae ; 

 yellow streaks radiate from the areolap; those running towards the corners of the plates 

 become gradually wider. The yellow streaks on the sternum are broader than those of the 

 upper parts. The shell of young specimens is more simply, yet very neatly coloured ; and 

 from their system of coloration it is evident that the ground-colour of this species is yellow, 

 the black ornamental colour in young individuals being distributed only in black spots, 

 which are very regularly placed, namely on the middle of the sutures formed by the plates. 

 It is probable that the young are nearly entirely yellowish when they emerge from the egg. 



This species is not very scarce, and is probably found in many parts of the Peninsula of 

 Southern India. Well-authenticated localities are Madras, Coromandel, the low jungles of 

 the Carnatic, Pondicherry, and Ceylon. According to Mr. Blyth, it does not inhabit Lower 

 Bengal, and is rarely brought alive to Calcutta. The shell attains to a length of 12 inches, 

 larger specimens being very scarce. 



I am indebted to Mr. Blyth for an early copy of a paper in which he distinguishes the 

 Starred Tortoise of Lower Pegu as a separate species, which he names T. platynotus (Joimi. 

 As. Soc. Beng. 1863, xl.). It is, he says, " very similar to T. stellata, but averaging a 

 larger size, and conspicuously distinguished by being quite flat on the back, the plates not 

 rising in the centre, and the bosses representing the appearance of having been ground flat 

 by attrition. The radiating marks are broader and less numerous, in general numbering six 

 only on each vertebral plate. No nuchal plate. The carapaces are used abundantly in the 

 Rangoon bazaar for baling out oil from earthen vessels : the entire animal is difficult to be 

 obtained, as the Burmans are so fond of eating them." 



Captain Thomas Hutton has made some very valuable observations on the habits of the 

 Starred Tortoise ; and as they are the only ones which have been published on an Indian 

 species of this genus, I give the following abstract of them : — 



" These animals are by no means of rare occurrence in the hUly tracts of Meywar and the adjoining 

 districts, where they are found in the high grassy jungles skirting the base of the hills. 



" They are nevertheless not easUy procured, owing to their colour and appearance being so blended 

 with the rocky nature of the ground as to render it difficult to distinguish them from surrounding objects ; 

 added to which, they remain in concealment beneath shrubs or tufts of grass during the heat of the day. 



" The Bheels, however, are expert in tracking them through loose soils, and having discovered a foot- 

 print in the sand of a nullah or the dust of the grass plains, they generally succeed in captm-ing the 

 animal by patiently following the traces it has left. 



" It is in the rainy seasons that they are in the greatest activity, and wander about all day feeding and 

 coupling. At the approach of the cold weather they select a sheltered spot and conceal themselves by 

 thrusting their shell into some thick tuft of grass and bushes, the better to protect them from the cold, 

 remaining thus in a sort of lethargic inactivity (for they are not torpid) until the hot season, at which 

 time they only remain concealed during the heat of the day, coming out about sunset to feed. 



" As I have several of these animals alive, I shall give an outline of their general habits in a state of 

 confinement. I have at different times procured seven of these creatures, three of which are females, and 

 are easily distinguished by their larger size. They were all turned loose into a large enclosui'c, and well 

 supplied with water and grass, both dried and green, and a heap of bushes and grass to hide themselves in. 



