106 



pithed, until by an examination of its posterior molars its real station 

 in the system should be determined. 



It is thus characterized : 



Semn.? albogularis, Sykes. Semn.? supra Jlavo nigroque^ 

 infra albo nigroqiie irroratus ; gidd alba; artubus nigris : mysta- 

 cibus latis aures pene obvelantibus ; superciliorum pilis rigidis 

 exstantibiis. 



Hab. in Madagascar ? 



Its canines are remarkably long (nearly ^ of an inch), slender, 

 sharp) the incisors very short and even. Head rounded and short. 

 Ears very small, nearly rounded, and for the most part concealed in 

 the long hair about the head. Eyes deeply seated, and shaded by a 

 continuous arch of long hairs directed forwards. Irides broad; of 

 a brown ochre colour. Hair forming a bunch on each cheek and 

 resembling whiskers : no beard. Cheek pouches rudimentary only, 

 not observable externally, even when filled, being concealed by the 

 bushy hair of the cheeks. Thumbs of anterior hands short and dis- 

 tant 3 those of the posterior long. Whole of the upper surface of 

 the animal of a mingled black and yellowish ochre colour, each 

 hair being banded black and ochre ; the black prevailing on the 

 shoulders, the ochre on the back and flanks. Under surface griz- 

 zled white and black. Anterior limbs uniform black ; posterior black 

 with a little of the dorsal colour. Chin and throat pure white. 

 Tail black, half as long again as the body. 



The manners of this monkey are grave and sedate. Its disposi- 

 tion is gentle but not affectionate : free from that capricious petu- 

 lance and mischievous irascibility characteristic of so many of the 

 African species, but yet resenting irritating treatment, and evincing ' 

 its resentment by very smart blows with its anterior hands. It never 

 bit any person on board ship, but so seriously lacerated three 

 monkeys, its fellow passengers, that two of them died from the 

 wounds. It readily ate meat, and would choose to pick a bone, 

 even when plentifully supplied with vegetables and dried fruits. 



Mr. Gray exhibited a specimen of a Tortoise which he regarded . 

 as the type of a new genus in the family Eniydidce. It is charac- 

 terized as follows : 



Platysternon. 



Sternum latum, antice truncatum, postice emnrginatiim. Scutella 

 sterni 12; quorum duo anteriora brevin, lata, per totam sterni 

 latitudinem extensa. Symphysis scuteUorum pedoralium abdo- 

 minaliumque extremitatibus tedn : sculellis axillari inguinalique 

 magnis ; inter quce scutellum tertium accessorium iis simile ; scu- 

 tella hcec tria iji suturam symphysis iuserla. 



Caput maximum, cute cormed coidinud tectum^ Cauda longissimay 

 teres, attenuata ; superne scrie unica, infcrni duj)lici, squamatum 

 tecta ; ha/id crisiata. 



This genus is intermediate between Emys and Chelydra. It has 



