744 MR. P. L. SCLATER ON ANIMALS IN THE MENAGERIE. [Dec. 5, 



general colour, and by the very different form of the head-shields. 

 In T. tabulata the frontal or fronto-nasal shield is divided by a me- 

 dian line ; in T. carbonaria it is entire. This at least is the case with 

 our specimens, just as Dumeril and Bibron have remarked. 



Our two specimens of Testudo carbonaria (purchased February 19, 

 1869) were said to have been received from Surinam. They were 

 entered in the register as Testudo tabulata. Of T. tabulata vera one 

 example, purchased Dec. 16, 18/0, was obtained on the island of 

 Marajo, Lower Amazon. Mr. E. Bartlett has lent me others for 

 comparison, one of which he obtained in Eastern Peru, where, he 

 tells me, it is the only Land-Tortoise known to occur. 



39. Testudo Argentina, Sclater. 



In my notes on the Tortoises in the Society's Gardens named 

 Testudo chilensis by Dr. Gray, which were published in the ' Pro- 

 ceedings ' for 1870 (p. 667)*, I showed the improbability of these 

 animals being really natives of Chili, where, according to all the best 

 authorities, no species of Testudinata are known to exist ; and in 

 some further remarks on the same subject in the 'Annals of Natural 

 History 'f I suggested the alternative name Testudo argentina for this 

 species, in case my views should turn out to be correct. Dr. Philippi's 

 letter on the question, stating that the so-called Chilian Tortoises had 

 been obtained from the vicinity of Mendoza, has been already read to 

 the Society %. Since then I have also made inquiries on the same 

 subject of Mr. Weisshaupt, who himself brought the Tortoises in 

 question to England, and has recently visited us again with a second 

 collection of animals. Mr. Weisshaupt informs me that he procured 

 these Tortoises himself during his expedition to Mendoza ; so that 

 there can be no longer any doubt on the subject §. Under these 

 circumstances Testudo argentina will be the proper name for the 

 species || . 



40. Terrapene carinata (Linn.). 



In the autumn of last year we received three living examples of 

 this Tortoise from Massachusetts, U.S.A., and four from Mexico. 

 All the Mexican specimens had but three claws on the hind feet, and 

 belonged therefore to Onychotria mexicana, Gray ( = Cistudo triun- 

 guis, Agassiz). Dr. Strauch, however, contends that this difference 

 is not even specific (Verth. d. Schildkr. p. 45) — a point which I 

 cannot consider yet quite decided. 



* In these notes, for Testudo stellata in three places read Testudo sulcata, as 

 is obvious from the context. 



t Ann. Nat. Hist. ser. 4, vol. vi. p. 471. 



I See antea, p. 480. 



§ I may add that Mr. Weisshaupt expressly denied ever having given the in- 

 formation regarding these Tortoises quoted by Dr. Gray (Ann. Nat. Hist. Jan. 

 1871, p. 18). Moreover, as Santiago is not on tlie coast of Chili, but high in 

 the Andes, and some sixty miles from the Pacific, the circumstances there stated 

 arc incorrect on the face of them. 



II Sec the rules of the Stricklandian code of nomenclature. 



