REMARKABLE TORTOISE, TESTUDO LOVERIDGII. 



493 



and the concentiic striations between are deep and strongly 

 marked. This applies to the plastron as well as the cai-apace. 



Nuchal shield very variable ; much broader than long and cleft 

 anteriorly in young specimens ; about as long as broad to thi^ee 

 times as long as broad, usually a little more than twice, and not, 

 or but slightly, notched in adults. 



First vertebral subtetragonal, usually slightly longer than 

 broad, or as long as broad; the anterior border longer than the 

 posterior, both convexly curved ; lateral borders straight, slightly 

 oblique. On the male type this shield is greatly elongated {vide 

 text-fig. 4). 



Second and third vertebrals hexagonal, broader than long, the 

 suture between them usually a little shorter than the length of 

 either shield, a little longer than the suture between first and 

 second or third and fourth. 



Fourth vertebral with very short posterior border, not more 



Text-figure 5. 



Younc 



specimen, showing relatively broader shields (nat. size). 

 a. Carapace, b. Plastron. 



than half length of suture between third and fourth. In the 

 male type this shield is subtriangular or cordiform, and widely 

 separated from the last vertebral by the fourth costals. 



Fifth vertebral obtusely pointed and flat anteriorly, in the 

 same plane with the preceding vertebrals ; posteriorly its bordei- 

 is curved, and bent downwards sometimes very abruptly; the 

 lower edge in some cases curves in so as to form an angle with 

 the more obliquely set supracaudals. 



Costals highly characteristic in form. In the ordinary Testudo 

 the sutures between these shields form straight lines more or less 

 at right angles to the long axis of the cai'apace : in T. loveridgii 

 they form curves, particularly pronounced in the case of those 

 between the fourth pair and fifth vertebral. The areolars are 

 also excentrically placed. In T. ibera, for instance, the border 



