EAST AFRICAN TORTOISES. 



929 



In the large series of T. loveridgii examiued by Miss 

 Procter the greatest depth per cent, of any specimen 

 was 33-4 mm., and that was of the youngest example 

 only 42 mm. long. The depth per cent, decreases 

 with age, as has been shown by Miss Procter, 

 (iii.) Presence of a strong vel-tebral keel on all live scutes, 

 (iv.) Keversion of the marginals, which are turned up so that 

 their outer edge forms an obtuse angle with their inner 

 edge and in some an almost cup-like depression, 

 (v.) Coloration. — The centre of each scale is dark^ sepia, 

 almost black, surrounded by a broad yellow margin; the 

 star-like radiations of T. loveridgii are absent. ^ 

 Owing to its immaturity it is impossible to say definitely that 

 it might not be referable to the genus Cinixys, as the character 

 istic hinge of the carapace in that genus is not developed in 

 young individuals. I am confident that it is correctly assigned 

 to the genus Testudo. C. helliana was taken at Ikikuyu on tho 

 same day as T. procterce, and though depressed the ossification is 

 fully developed. T. tornieri, it may be remembered, was origin- 

 ally mistaken for a pathological phase of C. helliana by Tornier *. 

 T. procterce I consider to be one stage nearer the typical box 

 tortoises than T. tornieri. 

 Sex ?. Half-grown. 



Type-locahty. Ikikuyu, Dodoma Dist., Tanganyika Territory, 

 12.ii. 23. 



This specimen was kept alive for three months in captivity, 

 but unfortunately died, and decomposition had set in when it 

 was found. The reptile was immediately preserved, but in poor 

 condition. It has been presented to the British Museum, 



The second specimen Avas found beside a small stone at the foot 

 of a rock-strewn, scrub-covered mountain (Mt. Hundugula) at 

 Kidenge. It was so young that I hesitate to refer it definitely 

 to this species, excepting on the grounds of locality, as it was 

 not twenty miles from Ikikuyu. It measured 40 x 37 X 17 mm. 

 (greatest length, breadth, and depth of shell), and was taken back 

 to Kilosa, where it was left in charge of a native who lost it in 

 cleaning out the vivarium. So rarely are these creatures met 

 with that the local chief said that during the thirty years of his 

 residence he had never heard of a tortoise being found in the 

 neighbourhood. 



A tick {Amhlyomma marmoreum Koch) was on the type- 

 specimen when found, 



* Tornier, Kriechtiere Deut. Ost-Afrikas, 1897, p. 2. 



