184 A. LEITH ADAMS ON MALTESE LAXD-TOETOISES. 



the maximum breadth of the process being 24 millimetres. The 

 same measurements of the pubis of T. ephippium are 76 and 18 

 millimetres. 



2. A mutilated process of another pubis presents about the same 

 measurements. 



3. A fragment of the symphysial end of a right os pubis indicates 

 a tortoise as large as the owner of the preceding, but shows no im- 

 portant characters. 



Femur. 



Two proximal extremities of femora of gigantic tortoises were 

 found by me in Mnaidra Gap. The left, being the more entire, is 

 represented in Plate V. figs. 4, 4 a, 4 b. 



It shows the head, trochanters, and a small portion of the shaft. 

 There is a loss of substance on the outer side of the head and great 

 trochanter, which, however, is preserved in the other specimen of 

 the right side. There is also a small abrasion on the inner side of 

 the head. Otherwise the fragment is entire and well preserved. 

 It will be seen from the figures that the head is elliptical, and does 

 not rise above the summit of the great trochanter. 



The conspicuous notch (fig. 4 a) is also present in the recent Tes- 

 tudo ephippium, and is apparently wanting in T. elephantopus*: 

 thus the femur of the former and that of T. robusta agree so far. 

 Moreover the cartilaginous capping of the trochanters is apparently 

 confined to the latter by a smooth dividing groove, whereas in T. 

 elephantopus the cartilage extends along an unbroken ridge from 

 trochanter to trochanter. 



The condition of the fossil renders it impossible to state whether 

 or not one or other of these two conditions existed. 



The pit embraced between the head and the trochanters is about 

 as broad as long ; and the notch between the head and small tro- 

 chanter is broader than between the former and the great trochanter, 

 but it is relatively smaller than in T. elephantopus and T. ephippium. 

 And whilst the head in the former and in T. robusta assimilate, T. 

 robusta and T. ephippium consort as to the intertrochanteric notch 

 and the configuration of the intervening pit (fig. 4 b). 



A detached left femur of a recent tortoise (No. 1021 b in the 

 Osteological Collection of the Royal College of Surgeons) agrees with 

 the characters of T. ephippium and T. robusta ; but the cartilaginous 

 covering dips into the notch, and is continuous from one trochanter 

 to the other. 



The locality from which this specimen was obtained is unknown ; 

 but it evidently belonged to a very large tortoise, and an individual 

 of nearly the dimensions of the fossil. The greatest length and 

 breadth of the heads in the three (by callipers, and along the curve) 

 are as follows : — 



* Giinther, op. cit. pp. 267, 274. 



