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XI. On Remains of an Extinct Gigantic Tortoise from Madagascar 

 (Testudo grandidieri, VaiUaiit). By G. A. Boulenger. 



Received October 25th, 1892, read November 15th, 1892. 



[Plates XXXIX.-XLI.] 



On the 14th December, 1S68, Prof. H. Milne-Edwards announced to the French 

 Academy of Sciences ' the discovery by M. Grandidier of remains of some gigantic 

 Tortoises in Madagascar, contemporaries of ^pyornis and Hippopotamus lemerlii. 

 These bones were referred to two species, named Testudo alrupta and Emys gigantea 

 by Grandidier, without, however, any descriptions being given by means of which 

 some idea could be obtained of their affinities. So matters stood until 1885, when 

 Prof. L. Vaillant published some notes on these remains^, which had in the meantime 

 been restored for exhibition in the Palseontological Gallery of the Paris Museum, at 

 the same time showing that both species belong to the genus Testudo. The name 

 gigantea being twice preoccupied in that genus, Grandidier's Emys gigantea was 

 renamed Testudo grandidieri. It is, however, not impossible that Grandidier's tortoise 

 will ultimately have to be regarded as a form of the true Testudo gigantea of 

 Schweigger. To T. grandidieri belong the remains the description of which has 

 been kindly entrusted to me by Dr. H. Woodward. They consist of two nearly perfect 

 shells, skilfully restored by Mr. Barlow, fragments of others, an imperfect skull, and 

 numerous bones belonging to several individuals, found by Mr. Last in South-west 

 Madagascar, and now preserved in the Geological Department of the British M useum. 



Mr. Last writes, from Nossi Vey, as follows about the specimens : — " They were 

 found in large caves in the rocks some two miles from the beach. These caves were 

 formed by the sea long ago, when either the sea was higher or the land lower than it is 

 at present. The Tortoises are found in pairs partly bedded in the fine loose sand of the 

 caves, and, owing to the fact that they are only partly buried, many of the small bones 

 get lost, the natives making use of these caves as hiding-places for themselves in time 

 of war, and for their goods in time of peace. In one case, where the shell of one 

 animal was completely underground, though broken all to pieces, I have sifted the 

 soil and found nearly all the small bones and a head, which seems to me very small 

 for so large an animal." 



Unfortunately, Mr. Last did not keep apart the bones which he secured in connexion 

 with the shell, but sent them home mixed up with those of several other individuals. 

 This has necessitated considerable labour on my part in identifying them, and in several 



' Comptes Rendus, Ixvii. 1868 p. 1165. ^ Comptes Eendus e. 1885, p. 874. 



VOL. XIII. — PAET vin. No. 1. — April 1894. 2 t 



