A. LEITH ADAMS ON MALTESE LAND-TORTOISES. 177 



10. On Gigantic Land-Tortoises and a small Freshwater Species 

 from the Ossiferous Caverns of Malta, together with a List of 

 their Fossil Fauna ; and a Note on Chelonian Remains from 

 the Rock-cavities of Gibraltar. By A. Leith Adams, M.B., 

 F.R.S., F.G.S., Professor of Zoology in the Royal College of 

 Science, Dublin. (Read January 10, 1877.) 



[Plates V. & VI.] 



The Maltese fossil remains described in this memoir were collected 

 by Admiral Spratt, C.B., and myself in various ossiferous deposits in 

 the island. A few of the bones have been referred to in a note I 

 communicated to the Geological Society in 1866*. Having now, 

 however, for the first time had an opportunity of comparing the 

 reptilian remains from the Zebbug Cavern with my own gatherings 

 (in consequence of the collection made by Admiral Spratt having 

 been lately presented to the British Museum), I find the com- 

 bined assemblage of Chelonian remains display so many features of 

 interest that I have no hesitation in laying the details before the 

 Society. 



The singular characters of the associated Proboscidian, Rodentian, 

 and Avian relics have been already described f ; so that, with the 

 exception of the Hippopotami, this contribution may be said to 

 complete the palaeontographical portion of the explorations up to 

 the termination of my researches in 1865. 



The following specimens are contained in the Museum of the 

 Society and in the British Museum. 



I am indebted to T. C. Archer, Esq., Director of the Museum of 

 Science and Art, Edinburgh, for his kindness in lending me the 

 typical skeleton of Test ado ephippium of Giinther, to compare with 

 the Maltese remains; and my best thanks are also due to Dr. 

 Giinther, F.R.S., for his assistance in the determination of a few 

 of the specimens. 



Although Dr. Falconer recognized Chelonian bones and fragments 

 of shields in Admiral Spratt' s collection, I can find in his writings 

 no description whatever of their characters further than a simple 

 reference to " two Chelonian forms," one of which, he says, is " of 

 small size " i. 



Shteld. 



Fragments of the dermal ossifications of dorsal and ventral shields 

 are plentiful in the collection from Zebbug. They embrace pieces 

 of costal and marginal plates of Chelonians of various dimensions, 

 from about the size of the Testudo rjroeca up to individuals which 



* Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xxii. p. 594. 



t Falconer, Palseontological Memoirs, vol. ii. p. 292 ; Busk & Falconer, 

 Trans. Zool. Soc. London, vol. vi. p. 227; Parker, ibid. vol. vi. p. 119 ; Adams, 

 ibid. vol. vi. p. 307, and vol. ix. p. 1. 



% Pal. Mem. vol. ii. p. 305. 



Q. J. G. S. No. 130. n 



