1B61.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON A NEW TORTOISE FROM CAMBOJA. 41 



chants, who huy all the skms of the silver-grey rabbits, and export 

 them to Russia and China ; these skins realize a very high price, 

 some of them 3C«. per dozen, in this country. 



With reference to the origin of the light-coloured silver-grey or 

 Chinchilla rabbit, I am only able to say they came from the Conti- 

 nent to this countr)^ being met with in the South of France and 

 Belgium, but, as far as I am aware, always in a state of domestication. 

 Observing that we receive large quantities of the skins of these white 

 rabbits, and that the skins of the silver-grey rabbits are sold to the 

 Russians and Chinese at a large price, I am led to think (from the 

 experiments that I have tried) it highly probable that at some period 

 the silver-grey rabbit existed in Russia or Asia (and hence the taste 

 or fashion for their skins), and that this breed has been lost and re- 

 placed by the white vaHety whose skins we now receive in such abun- 

 dance — finding, as I have before remarked, that these have a strong 

 tendency to out-number the greys. 



In conclusion, it is deserving of remark that, in all instances, the 

 young of the silver-greys are quite black for the first five or six 

 weeks, at about this age the grey hairs beginning to make their ap- 

 pearance on the breast and sides ; while the young of the Himalayan 

 or black-footed kind are always perfectly white until they are five or 

 six weeks old, at which time the black hairs begin to appear on their 

 noses, feet, ears, and tails. 



3. Description of a Soft Tortoise from Camboja. 

 By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S. 



(Plate V.) 



I have only been able to observe this Trionyx in its young state ; 

 but I make no apology for describing it as a distinct kind, as I find 

 from experience that the colouring of the young animal of this family 

 of Tortoises afi^ords one of the best characters for the distinction of 

 the species ; and I believe it is from their not having been studied in 

 that state that the species have been hitherto confounded together. 

 The character thus afforded has the advantage of not being liable to 

 variation from development, as is the case with the comparative 

 length of the free part of the ribs and with the form of the sternal 

 callosities, which have been hitherto chiefly depended on for specific 

 characters. 



Trionyx ornatus. (PI. V.) 



Back of the young animal, in spirits, brown, with large, unequal- 

 sized, irregularly disposed black circular spots. Head olive, with 

 symmetrical small black spots on the chin, forehead, and nose. 

 Throat and sides of neck with large, unequal-sized, irregular-shaped 

 and nearly symmetrically disposed yellow spots. Legs olive, yellow- 

 spotted in front. Sternum and under side of margin yellow. Sternal 

 callosities not developed. 



Hab, Camboja (iVJ. Mouhot). 



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