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3. Description oF a New Species or Tortoise (Testupo 
PLANICEPS), FROM THE GaLAPAGOs ISLANDS. 
By J. E. Gray, Pa.D., F.R.S., V.P.Z.S., P.B.S. erc. 
After the examination of the specimens of the large Black Tor- 
toise (Testudo Indica) in the various English and continental col- 
lections, including the specimens which had served Schweiger, Schle- 
gel, Fitzinger, Dumeril and Bibron, and others, as the types of spe- 
cies, I placed them all in the ‘Catalogue of the Tortoises, Croco- 
diles and Amphisbzenians in the Collection of the British Museum,’ 
as varieties of a single, very variable species, which had been scat- 
tered by man in different tropical parts of the globe. I see no cause 
to change my opinion with respect to the head now about to be de- 
scribed, even should it prove to be that of a black species, which is 
possible, as the black species is the only one known which has any 
affinity to it in point of size. The skull now described was sent to 
Haslar Hospital, and said to have been taken from a specimen brought 
from the Galapagos Islands. The Black Tortoise of those islands has 
been described by Dr. Harlan under the name of Testudo elephan- 
topus ; but his figure and description so exactly agree with the adult 
Testudo Indica, and the specimen in the Gardens of the Zoological 
Society brought from the Galapagos Islands, is so exactly similar to 
the specimen of Testudo Indica from the Mauritius, that I cannot 
think that the usual Galapagos Tortoise is different from that spe- 
cies, or like the skull here noticed. I therefore propose to designate 
this species by the provisional name of Testudo planiceps. The fol- 
lowing comparative statement of the characters presented by this 
skull and that of 7. Indica, will show the differences which exist be- 
tween them. 
Testupo Inpica. 
Skull high, convex. 
Forehead convex, rounded to the 
nose-cavity; broad between the 
eyes. 
Temples flat behind. 
Cheeks small, four-sided. 
Edge of the jaw between the nose- 
cavity and the mouth narrow 
and rounded. 
Nose-cavity oblong, nearly twice 
as high as broad, contracted on 
each side above. : 
Palate broad, oblong, very deeply 
concave, and with concave con- 
verging sides in front. 
TESTUDO PLANICEPS. 
Skull much-depressed, flat. 
Forehead flat, with a rapid de- 
clivity towards the nose-cavity ; 
narrow between the eyes. 
Temples produced, bent in be- 
hind. 
Cheeks large, subtrigonal. 
Edge of the jaw between the nose- 
cavity and the mouth high and 
erect. 
Nose-cavity nearly square, scarce- 
ly higher than broad, and very 
little contracted above. 
Palate narrow, nearly lozenge- 
shaped, truncated behind, rather 
deeply concave, with straight 
converging sides in front. 
