Mr. Bell on three new species of Land Tortoises. 421 



inferiour parts of the hinder ones ; two of these scales, particularly 

 strong and thick, are placed on the back part of each thigh near 

 the tail. Claws long and thick. Tail short, tapering, and tuber- 

 culated. Shell very deep, and formed almost exactly like that of 

 T. Indica. Scuta flat, sulcated, of a dirty light yellow colour, 

 with numerous large irregular black spots, as if splashed, but 

 assuming in a slight degree a radiating direction. The areolae of 

 the vertebral scuta a little elevated ; those of the costal scuta 

 placed very near their upper margin towards their junction with 

 the vertebral ; which character constitutes almost the only dis- 

 tinction of importance between this species and T. Indica^ ex- 

 cepting the colour. Marginal scuta xxiii, very deep, the anteriour 

 and posteriour ones turned slightly outwards approaching a hori- 

 zontal direction. The posteriour single one nearly vertical. Ster- 

 num with a small emargination before, and a large lunate one for 

 the tail. The colour a dirty yellow, with black radiating spots 

 towards the circumference of each plate. 



The specimen from which this description is given is still living, 

 and has been in my possession since the commencement of the 

 Summer, during which time it has had the range of a small orchard, 

 feeding heartily on grass, which it plucked with a movement 

 similar to that of a goose. The neck is so extensile as to permit 

 the head to be raised above the level of the top of the back, and 

 thus to enable the animal to look around on all sides by merely 

 turning the head. It is the largest known species of land Tortoise 

 excepting T. Indica. 



Dimensions of the shell. 



Direct length 



Length following the curvature 



Breadth 



Height .... 



Length of the sternum 



Circumference . 



