INDIAN TORTOISE. 27 



VAR. ? 



MR. VOSMAER has described and figured the 

 shell of a large Land Tortoise from the Cape of 

 Good Hope, which seems so much allied to the 

 preceding, that it can hardly he considered as 

 any other than a variety. Its length was about 

 two feet eight inches : its width one foot six 

 inches: its height one foot: the disk had thirteen, 

 and the margin twenty-five pieces. The only 

 difference worth remarking seems to consist in 

 the absence of the three tubercles in front, which 

 perhaps may constitute a sexual distinction. 



Allied to the above is also a very large species 

 brought from the southern islands, and now in the 

 British Museum : the shell is about three feet and 

 a half long at least ; of an ovate-oblong form, 

 widening at the bottom, and contracting consi- 

 derably on each side the neck : its colour is a dull 

 uniform brown, and its surface smooth : all the 

 divisions are even ; yet the whole surface of the 

 shell has, as it were, regular elevations and de- 

 pressions on different parts. 



