152 PETRIFACTIONS AND THEIR TEACHINGS. CHAP. III. 



From the Eocene strata of England remains of several 

 genera have been obtained. The Isles of Sheppey and 

 Wight, and the coasts of Hants and Essex, have yielded fossil 

 Chelonians in considerable numbers. 



The Eocene Strata of France contain several fresh-water 

 Tortoises, some of which belong to the family of Emydes, 

 and others to Trionyces. 



Testudinata, or Land-Tortoises, are exceedingly rare ; no 

 unquestionable remains of this kind are known in the British 

 strata ; J but the Tertiary formations of India have furnished 

 decided examples; and among the innumerable relics of 

 vertebrata which the indefatigable labours of Dr. Falconer 

 and Major Cautley have brought to light, and skilfully 

 developed, are the remains of Land-Tortoises of prodigious 

 magnitude, to which we have already adverted when pointing 

 out the model of the Colossochelys Atlas, at the entrance of 

 Room I. (ante p. 11). These remains are associated with the 

 bones of gigantic extinct mammalia, allied to the Palceotheria 

 and other pachydermata of the Paris basin ; and with those 

 of Gavials, and of small Land-Tortoises, of species that still 

 inhabit India. 



The fossil remains of Chelonian reptiles generally consist 

 of the detached plates of the carapace and plastron, but consi- 

 derable portions of the convex shell formed by the expanded 

 and united costal plates, and of the plates of the sternum, 

 are not uncommon. In a few instances, as in the Isle of 

 Wight Eocene Turtles, collected and developed with consum- 

 mate skill by the Marchioness of Hastings, and some of the 

 Sewalik Chelonians chiselled out of the rock by Mr. Dew, 

 and placed in Room VI. the entire carapace or buckler, and 

 sternum or floor, are as perfect as in the recent skeleton. 

 The cranium and bones of the pelvic and pectoral arches, 

 and of the paddles, are often found detached, and occasionally 

 in connexion with the carapace. 



CHELONIANS. Wall-cases A-B. The fossil Turtles in this 



1 At the head of British Chelonia (Brit. Rep. p. 190), Testudo Dun- 

 cani (Owen), is placed ; but the Report does not contain the description 

 of any Chelonian remains that can be referred to this species. Equivo- 

 cal imprints on stone are surely insufficient, in the absence of all corro- 

 borative evidence, to justify either generic or specific distinctions. 



