138 



DR. J. ANDERSON ON MANOURIA AND SCAPIA. [Feb. 6, 



Dr. Gray's figure of M.fusca* is a very good representation of T. 

 phayrei, from which, I believe with Dr. Gray, it in no way differs, 

 except in respect of its pectoral plates ; and I am supported by the 

 authority of Dr. Gunther that the former is T. emys, Midler. 



The question, therefore, here obtrudes itself, Is the genus Manouria 

 a natural one 1 I think not, and for the very cogent reasons I have 

 stated, viz. that the sole character on which it rests is shown, by the 

 series of specimens before me, to be the extreme limit in one direc- 

 tion of the development of the pectoral plates, and that the indivi- 

 duals which show this variation are Tortoises with concave sterna, 

 which would indicate that they are males ; while those with flat 

 sterna exhibit the opposite pole of variation in its greatest intensity, 

 and, so far as we at present know, never have their pectoral plates 

 wholly apart. 



The accompanying table gives the measurements of the eight ex- 

 amples before me. 



Measurements of shells o/Testudo emys. 



Greatest length, in straight line, l 

 from caudal notch to nuchal \ 

 plate I 



Greatest length, over curve of "j 

 back, from caudal notch to V 

 nuchal plate J 



Greatest breadth, over middle of ~\ 

 back (anterior third of 3rd I 

 vertebral), from lateral ridge [ 

 to lateral ridge J 



Greatest breadth, by callipers, 1 

 over middle of back J 



Distance between pectoral plates . 



Breadth of pectoral suture . 



Breadth (internal) of nuchal plate 



Length (internal) of nuchal plate 



Length of sternum, from gular 1 

 to caudal notch f 



Depth through centre of abdo 

 minal plates 



20 9 

 24 



21 9 



14 9 

 2 



15 



1 5 



16 



20 19 9 



23 6 



!2 



14 6 



I 1 

 1 1 



23 2 

 20 



13 9 



4 5 



16 



1 3 



18 3 

 8 



il Ul 



18 8 



22 10 

 20 9 



4. 



it til 



18 



21 6 

 19 3 



014 

 dig 



1 4 



1 7 



1 5 



17 3 



8 9 



1 5 

 1 6 



16 4 



8 8 



6. 



li ill 



18 



21 2 

 19 6 



14 3 



10 



1 6 

 1 6 



16 3 



8 4 



7. 



II III 



15 2 



17 6 

 15 9 



11 9 

 1 7 



II III 



13 3 



15 3 

 14 4 



10 9 



6 

 10 16 

 11 



1 

 14 6 



7 4 



12 6 

 5 9 



When the genus Manouria was first established, and even many 

 years afterwards, great importance was attached by some descriptive 

 zoologists to the divided caudal, which led Dr. Gray to refer this 

 Land-Tortoise to the Emydidce. The same naturalist, however, has 

 recently described true Land-Tortoises with divided caudals. More- 

 over, in his latest publication on Shield Reptiles!, he characterizes 



* Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1860, pi. xxxi. 



t Nos. 1, 3, and 6 have concave sterna; No. 2 has no sternum; and all the 

 other sterna are flat ; No. 4 is the type of T. phayrei ; and Nos. 5. 6, and 8 are 

 living examples from Assam. 



J Suppl. Cat, Shield Kept. B. M. 1870, p. 3. 



