502 Zoological Society. 



size, corresponding to the dimensions of the shell. The ungueal 

 bones indicated a foot as large as that of the largest Pvhinoceros. The 

 humerus was more curved, and the articulating head more globular 

 and deeper in the fossil, from which it was inferred that it had a 

 stronger articulation, greater rotation, and that the Colossochelys 

 was enabled to bring its anterior extremities more under its weight 

 than is the case with existing tortoises. 



The affinities with Testudo shown in the shell and extremities were 

 found to hold equally good in the construction of the head, of which 

 a comparatively small-sized specimen, inferred to have belonged to 

 a young or half-grown Colossochelys, was exhibited. The head of 

 the adult to correspond with the dimensions of the shell, and accord- 

 ing to the proportions furnished by a large Testudo Indica, was de- 

 duced to have been two feet long. 



There were no ascertained cervical vertebrte to afford direct evi- 

 dence as to the length of the neck, which was constructed in the 

 diagram relatively to the proportions of Testudo Indica. The entire 

 length of the Colossochelys Atlas was inferred to have been about 

 eighteen feet, and that it stood upwards of seven feet high. 



The generic name given by the discoverers has reference to the 

 colossal size of the fossil (KoXorxaos et -x^eXvs), and the specific one to 

 its fitting representation of the mythological tortoise that sustained 

 the world, according to the systems of Indian cosmogony. 



Mr. Gould exhibited a series of Birds from Australia, collected 

 partly by himself and partly by Mr. Gilbert, viz. : — 



Fam. CoLUMBiD^. 



Geopelia placida. Geop. facie et gutture cinereis ; occipite, dorso 

 alisque e cinereo-fuscis ; singulis ])lmnis ad apicem nigerrimo fas- 

 ciatis, alulis spui'iis primai'iisque saturate fuscis, humeris subtus 

 castanets, pectore, lateribus, et nuchd cinereis lineis angustis nigris 

 crehre fasciatis , et lateribus vinaceis. 



Face and throat grey ; occiput, back and wings ashy brown ; each 

 feather with a band of deep velvety black at the extremity ; spurious 

 wings and primaries dark brown ; under surface of the shoulders 

 chestnut ; chest, sides and back of the neck grey, crossed by nume- 

 rous narrow bands of black ; abdomen and flanks vinous ; four centre 

 tail-feathers ashy brown, the remainder black, largely tipped with 

 white ; irides light ash-grey ; bill and orbits bright greyish blue, 

 becoming much paler before and behind the eye ; frontal scales of 

 tarsi and feet dark greenish grey ; remainder of the legs and feet 

 reddish flesh-colour. 



Total length, 7| inches ; bill, | ; wing, 3| ; tail, ^ ; tarsi, f . 



Hab. Port Essington. 



This and the next species are very nearly allied, but on comparison 

 of numerous individuals I find that size invariably points out the 

 locality from which they have been procured; the larger birds (C. 

 tranquilla) being an inhabitant of the interior of New South Wales, 

 and the smaller (G. placida) of the north coast; besides which, the 



