320 CLASS XV. 



Many species also are known from the East Indies; one of the most 

 interesting is Emys spinosa Bell 1. 1. Tab. v. with a spine on the middle 

 of each of the dorsal plates and spines at the margin. From the small 

 development of the swimming-membrane of the feet this species approaches 

 in some degree to the land-tortoises. 



j^ote. To this sub-genus are to be referred sub-genera Tetraonyx Less., 



with only four nails on both anterior and posterior feet (LESSON Illustr. de 

 Zool. PL 7), and Platystermn Gray. 



B. Toes indistinct. ( Covering of beak horny.) 



Testudo Beongn., Cher sine Mere. Feet truncated, with short 

 nails. Back gibbous. (Nails of fore feet five, seldom four, of 

 hind feet four. Posterior marginal scute or supracaudal almost 

 always single, broad). 



Sp. Testudo Grceca L., Sch(EPFF 1. 1. Tab. 8, g, Bonap. Faun. Ital., Anifibi, 

 Tab. 48; the shield oval, somewhat broader behind than in front; this 

 species has commonly (but not always) two marginal shields above the 

 tail ; it occurs in Spain, Italy, and Greece. Most of the species are from 

 Africa; as the very common, prettily marked Testudo geometrica L,, 

 ScHCEPPF 1. 1. Tab. 10, Daud. Eept. 11. PI. 23, fig. i, from the Cape of 

 Good Hope ; a species almost entirely similar in marking, but somewhat 

 more elongate, without an unpaired scutellum at the fore margin, which is 

 deeply incised, has been found in the East Indies, Testudo actinodes Bell, 

 la Geometrique Lac. Quadr. ovip. 1. PI. 9.— There lives in South America 

 the Testudo tabulata Walbadm, Schcepff 1. 1. Tab. 13, Maxim. Pr. v. 

 Necw. Ahh. z. NaturgescTi. Bras., Rept. Tab. 3, very common in collec- 

 tions. 



Testudo areolata Thunb., Schcepff 1. 1. Tab. 23, from the Cape of Good 

 Hope, has only four nails on the fore feet. This species belongs to a small 

 group, to which Dumebil has given the name of Homopus. 



In some the posterior part of the dorsal shield is moveable downwards, 

 Testudo Homeana, Cinixys Uomeana Bell ; in a single species the anterior 

 part of the sternal shield is moveable, Testudo pyxis, Pyxis arachno'ides 

 Bell. See Th. Bell, On two new genera of Land ToHoises, Linn. Transact. 

 XV. 1827, p. 392 — 401, Tab. 16, 17. 



Chelonia Brongn. Feet changed into flat fins, anterior very 

 long, falcate. Back depressed. Sternum imperfect, in part carti- 

 laginous. (Nails only two or one; more rarely none.) 



Chelonia Brongn., Dum., Caretta, Merr. Back covered with 

 horny scales. 



Sp. Chelonia mydas ScHW., Testudo mydas L., Caretta esculenta Mekr., Lac. 

 Quadr. ovip. i. PI. i ; in the Atlantic Ocean, in the Indian and other seas. 



