196 DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE GENUS KINIXYS. V [May 26, 



III. " Head elongate ; vpper jaw with a recurved crcfwn, with a 

 moderate beaJt, frontal, two long nasal, and two large pa- 

 rietal plates.^' Anota. 



Sternoth^rus NIGER, Dum. et Bibr. Erp. Gen. ii, p. 597 (not 

 t. 20. f. 1, as quoted). 

 Hab. Madagascar. 



"We have recently received from Western Africa several specimens 

 of the genus Kinixys, and they all tend to prove the distinctness of 

 the three species in the ' Catalogue of Shield Reptiles in the British 

 Museum,' viz. I. K. belliana; 2. K. erosa; and 3. K. homeana. 

 K. belliana is easily separated from K. erosa (as well as by other 

 characters) by the small size of the gular plates. It would appear 

 that this species is common both to West and Eastern Africa, as 

 Mr. Whitfield brought it from the Gambia, Dr. Peters found it in 

 Mozambique, and Dr. Riippell at Shoa : so also is K. homeana ; for 

 Lieut. Friend found it at Cape Coast in West Africa, and Mr. 

 Berthold on the east coast of Africa. 



The K. erosa seems to be common in several parts of West Africa. 

 It is abundant at Gaboon, and seemingly not uncommon at the 

 Gambia. It is a very variable species, but always to be distinguished 

 by the reflexed and strongly dentated posterior margin, and the large 

 size of the gular plates. It varies inform. Some specimens are ob- 

 long-elongate, narrow, as wide before as behind (that is to say, 

 straight on the sides) : these, as the older specimens have the 

 sternum concave, which we generally consider the peculiarity of 

 the male sex, are probably male. Others are ovate, much broader 

 compared with their length, and broader behind than before, and the 

 sides of the back are more convex : these are probably the shells of 

 females. The specimens of both these shapes are varied with yel- 

 low on the upper side of the costal plates, and have short irregular 

 yellow rays at the outer angle of the costal and vertebral shields ; 

 but the distinctness of these coloured rays varies in the different 

 specimens. The form of the gular plates also varies ; they are always 

 rather large, and the front outer angles are rather produced forward, 

 leaving a deep angular notch ; but in one specimen, which has a concave 

 sternum, and is probably an old male, they are very much enlarged, 

 and produced beyond the upper edge of the thorax. They are longer 

 than broad, and truncated in front, so as to present a straight margin 

 without any notch, they are as long as the humeral plate at the inner 

 side, and the front margin of them is as broad as the length of the 

 outer side, which is concavely curved out. There seems, from M. 

 Auguste Dumeril's figure, to be only a thorax, without any sternum, 

 of this species in the Paris Museum. 



The most natural division of this genus is the following : — 



A. The front lobe of the sternum narrowed and tapering in front, 

 with a small truncated pair of gular shields ; the sides of the 

 margin even ; nuchal shield distinct. Kinothorax. 



\. Kinixys belliana. 



