306 MR. G. A. BOULEXGER ON AN EXTINCT 



cases caused some uncertainty ; in dealing with the smaller carpal and tarsal bones 

 and phalanges I had to give up the attempt at sorting out the bones according to 

 specimens. The material, though thus inadequate for the complete restoration of any 

 single specimen, yet affords information on almost every portion of the skeleton, and is 

 therefore of the greatest value in fixing the characters of this extinct tortoise, our 

 knowledge of which was still very imperfect. 



1. Shell. — In addition to fragmentary remains of several specimens, we have two 

 nearly perfect shells, referable to male and female. The former measures 116 centim. 

 in a straight line and 150 over the curve, thus agreeing very closely in size with the 

 type specimen in Paris, which measures 121 and 152. In the characteristic flatness of 

 the vertebral region, together with the sinuous protuberances and the deep grooves 

 separating the epidermal scutes, it agrees entirely with the original, as I am informed 

 by Prof. Vaillant, to whom I showed the specimens during a recent visit he made to 

 the Natural History Museum. The figures (Plate XXXIX.) appended to this paper 

 relieve me from giving a description of the shape of the carapace, which, after all, 

 difiers but slightly from that of the existing Aldabra forms, Testudo elephantina and 

 allies. Its width is 85 centim. and its height 49. The anterior margin is feebly 

 notched in the middle and turned outwards on the sides, with notches between the 

 marginal scutes; the posterior sides are likewise expanded, and the pygal incurved. 

 The nuchal shield is very small, as long as broad ; the vertebral shields are broader 

 than long, a little broader than the costals ; the supracaudal is single. 



The plastron agrees with that of T. gigantea and T. hololissa. Its length is 92 centim.; 

 its front lobe 27 long and 33 broad at the base, 12 at the apex, which is truncate. The 

 bridge measures 44. The hind lobe is rounded, without anal notch, 19 centim. long 

 and 47 broad. The gular shield is divided ; the suture between the humerals three and 

 a half times as long as that between the gulars ; pectorals very short ; abdominals as 

 long as pectorals ; femorals three-fifths of pectorals ; anals as long as gulars. 



The second specimen, which is a female, differs from the preceding in its less deeply 

 excavated plastron, its greater thickness, the dorsal plates being about IJ inch thick, 

 whereas in the larger male their thickness is only f to 1 inch ; the anterior and posterior 

 borders are not spread out nor notched ; the sutures between the bones are almost 

 obsolete; and the nuchal is larger and a little longer than broad. The carapace 

 measures 97 centim. in a straight line, 120 over curve; width 73; height 44. The 

 plastron is imperfect, wanting the anterior lobe. The bridge measures 40 centim. 



In the characters of its shell, T. grandidieri clearly pertains to the section known as 

 " Aldabra Tortoises "\ Aldabra being agroup of small islands north-west of Madagascar, 

 this section of the genus would, with our present extended knowledge of its distribution, 

 more properly be termed the " Madagascar Gigantic Tortoises." On referring to the 

 synopsis of the species as given by me ^, it will be seen that an analysis of the characters 

 ' Giinther, ' Gigantic Land-Tortoiaes,' p. 10. = Cat. Chelon. &c. p, 153. 



