fro'm the Pleistocene of Menorca. 



103 



Dermal Ossicles. — Two small specimens were obtained from 

 Menorca : one, somewhat ovoid in outline, measures 87 mm. in 

 circumference and about 10 mm. in thickness; it is convex on one 

 side and almost flat on the other. The second example is more 

 irregular in shape; both are highly mineralized, and their bony- 

 structure is of much closer texture than is the case in the ossicles 

 of T. grandidieri, a number of which are included in the collection 

 of the British Museum (Nat. Hist.). These ossicles occur in 

 T. perpmiana, and are found chiefly on the fore-limbs according 

 to the restoration given by Professor Deperet,' who lays some stress 

 on their presence, shape, and arrangement, which he cites as among 

 the chief characteristics distinguishing this species from the existing 

 giant races in which they are said to be absent. It may be mentioned 

 that they are present in the gigantic tortoise from the Miocene of 

 Mont Leberon. 



Fig. 1. — Left humerus of Testudo gymnesicus. A. ventral surface ; B. post- 

 axial surface, h. head ; u.t. ulnar tuberosity. ^ nat. size. 



Humerus. — Five specimens of this limb-bone are included in the 

 collection, two belonging to the left and right sides being in a fair 

 state of preservation. These are large and very similar, tliouiih they 

 evidently did not belong to a single individual ; they are perha])S 

 of more slender proportions than those of T. grandidieri. In both 

 the surface of tlie distal end of the bone is considerably worn and 



^ Les Animaux Pliocines du Roiissillon (Mem. See. Geol. France), 1890, 

 pp. 150-4, pis. xiv, XV. 



