CARETTA SQUAMOSA. 443 



Jo. Frid. Gmelin,* probably influenced by Schneider, concluded to 

 withdraw it from the Sea Tortoises, and place it amongst the fresh- 

 water species, inferring, from Bontius's statement, that it might prove 

 a link between the Lizards and the Turtles. 



Lace"pedef leaves Testudo squamata amongst the synonyms of Chelo- 

 nia imkricata, just as he found it in the twelfth edition of the " Sys- 

 tema Naturae." 



DaudinJ admits the Testudo squamata, of Bontius, which he quotes as 

 a species of Turtle, without adding anything of his own on the subject. 



After the lapse of about half a century, during which Testudo squamata 

 seemed as though entirely forgotten, the name was again exhumed, 

 and applied to a Sea Tortoise, of the Caret group. 



J. Ray|| is the only one, among the early authors, who perceived 

 the differences between the Carets of the two oceans; but he has 

 remained forgotten altogether. 



The "Caretta or Sea Tortoise," alluded to by Bruce^[ as occurring in 

 the Red Sea, may prove identical with the present species. The figure 

 is sufficiently accurate to enable us to decide upon itsgenerical affinities. 

 Its specific characters require a careful reconsideration. 



DESCR.** The occipital plate is the largest ; the parietals come next 

 in order; then the postoccipitals, and anterior latero-occipitals, which 

 are subequal ; the postfrontals, the posterior latero-occipitals, and the 

 prefrontals, successively. 



The prefrontals are transversely elongated, almost parallelogramic 

 in shape. The postfrontals are irregularly angular, subtrapezoid. The 

 vertex plate is subhexagonal, somewhat longer than broad, and nearly 

 as wide anteriorly as posteriorly; it is contiguous in front to the post- 

 occipitals, sideways to the parietals, and behind to the middle occipital. 

 The parietals are elongated, rather narrower anteriorly than poste- 



* Carol! a Linne, Systema Naturae, &c., ed. XIII a , aucta, reformata. I, in, 1788, 

 1040. 



f Histoire naturelle des Quadrupedes ovipares et des Serpents. Vol. I, 1788, 105. 



J Histoire naturelle des reptiles, II, 1805, 216. (Tortue ecailleuse Je Bontiut.') 



Contributions to the Natural History of the United States of America, 1, 1857,382. 



|| Synopsis methodica Animalium Quadrupedum et Serpentini generis, vulgarum notus 

 characteristicas, rariorum Descriptiones integras exhibens, &c. 1693. 



\ Travels to discover the Sources of the Nile, in the years 1768-1772. Vol. V, 

 1790, 215. PI. XLII. 



** The following description is based upon figures 1-4. 



