Dr. G. Baur on Meiolania. — an 
IIT.—On Meiolania and some Points in the Osteology of the 
Testudinata: a Reply to Mr. G. A. Boulenger. By Dr. 
G. Baur. 
[Plate VI.] 
In the February number of the ‘Annals and Magazine of 
Natural History’ I tind some remarks by Mr. G. A. Boulen- 
ger in reply to my article on the systematic position of 
Meiolania published in the January number. Nearly all the 
comments of Mr. Boulenger need an answer. 
1. “ After having thought Mvolania to be allied to Stauro- 
typus, Dr. Baur now regards this Chelonian as representing 
a highly specialized branch of the true land-tortoises.” .. . 
Many people may think from this statement that I have 
published such a view on Metolania; this I never did. The 
tact is that during my visit in London last August and Sep- 
tember I had some talk with Mr. Boulenger on Mezolania. 
I said that the skull looks very much like that of Staurotypus, 
and showed to Mr. Boulenger the cervicals of Staurotypus 
triporcatus, so kindly sent to me by Prof. v. Krauss for 
examination ; this was all. I had not yet reached a definite 
conclusion on the systematic position of M/ezolania among the 
Cryptodira when I left London; this was only obtained here 
after a careful examination and comparison. 
2. “ Dr. Baur’s theory of the specialization from a land- 
Testudinoid, viz. a type with extremely reduced tail, with 
proceelous vertebre and no chevrons ” “is inadmissible.” 
Of course Mezolania did not come from any of the living 
forms of the Testudinide. ‘This I have clearly shown in my 
remarks on the quadrate with an open fissure, which we find 
in Metolania. 'Vhat some of the fossil ‘Testudinide, like 
Hadrianus, Cope, from the Eocene, showed such conditions 
is possible, but we have no proof yet. Besides that, I think 
it probable that after a careful study of the tails of the differ- 
ent land-tortoises we may find conditions somewhat similar 
to those in Metolania. I only note Blyth’s remarks on 
“Scapa,” a form very much like Hadrianus. According to 
him there is ‘a group of five principal obtuse spines on either 
side of the tail, the medial of them remarkably strong and 
thick ; two or more smaller spines or thick elongate scales 
above the tail.” Ido not know “Scapa” * ; but these spines 
seem to indicate a longer tail, as in the other Testudinide. 
I think my discovery of opisthoccelian vertebrae in a land- 
* Probably only a species of Dlanouria, 
