Geometrica-Group of S.A. Tortoises. 201 



■each of the other specimens was made the type of a new species. It 

 is now seen that Smith's species is sufficiently variable to include them 

 all. 



h. Testudo strauchi, van Lidth de Jeude, 1893. 



This species was founded by Dr. T. W. van Lidth de Jeude 

 (Notes from the Leyden Museum, Vol. XV., 1903) for a single 

 specimen of tortoise found in the Leyden Museum, " collected at the 

 Cape of Good Hope by the late Kuhl and van Hasselt." Its 

 author considers it to have much in common with T. gometrica, but 

 differing in the absence of the nuchal shield and the elongated form 

 of the gulars. Comparing the figures and rather brief description 

 with the several forms of geometrica in my possession, it is evident 

 that the Leyden specimen is a true geometrica, except for the absence. 

 of the nuchal shield. In my examples this shield has become so very 

 narrow that it is easy to conceive how it may disappear altogether in 

 individual specimens. Everywhere the relative size of the gulars is 

 found to be so very variable that the establishment of its absence 

 in many specimens would be necessary before it could be regarded as 

 a distinguishing specific character. 



Further collections will certainly be necessary before the specific 

 recognition of strauchi is assured. Even if a group of forms devoid 

 of the nuchal should be forthcoming, it would still be a matter of 

 dispute whether the character is sufficient to warrant the members 

 being regarded as distinct from geometrica. In the present paper I 

 can only regard strauchi as a form of geometrica in which the nuchal 



IS wanting. 



i. Testudo seimundi, Boulenger, 1903. 



This species was established by Boulenger for a single specimen 

 picked up near Deelfontein, in the District of Richmond. The 

 district is adjacent to the District of Hanover, whence, as already 

 stated, I have secured about 150 specimens, all belonging to J:he 

 verreauxii sub-group. Compared with these, seimundi has no distin- 

 guishing characters whatever, and unquestionably it belongs to the 

 same sub-group. The strong grooving of the marginals, the incurved 

 supracaudal, and the size and shape of the gulars have their exact 

 counterparts in the Hanover specimens. The yellowish brown horn 

 colour above, in contrast with the black background, occupies more 

 superficial area than usual, but introduces no new feature. The shells 

 of older specimens frequently reach this stage. The plastral 

 coloration compares even more closely with other members of the 

 verreauxii sub-group. 



Now that we know the variations of the verreauxii sub-group 

 much better, it is clear that seimundi cannot be retained as a distinct 

 species. Moreover, there is nothing in all the characters given which 

 indicates that it represents the beginning of even a new type or 

 variety ; with the exception of the dominance of the yellow colour 



