594 PROCEEDIJ^^GS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [June 20, 



Should this survey prove satisfactory, as anticipated, I am in- 

 formed that the Government of this Kepublic will be prepared to 

 enter into engagements with foreign speculators and capitalists. 



9. On Bones of Fossil Chelonians from the Ossieekofs Caves and 

 Fissures of Malta. By A. Leith Adams, M.B., F.G.S., Surgeon, 

 H.M. 22nd Eegiment. 



Remai]Ss of more than one species of River-tortoises have turned 

 up occasionally in the Maltese caves and fissures of the downcast and 

 denuded districts, in localities situated from three to six miles 

 and a half apart, and always associated with remains of the fossil 

 Elephant, Hippopotamus Pentlandi, Myoxus Melitensis, and Birds — 

 the last, chiefly aquatic, including the Cygnus Falconeri of Parker, 

 besides aLacerta, of about the dimensions of the common Chameleon, 

 and one or more Frogs. The nature and arrangement of the deposits 

 and conditions of this fossil fauna clearly show that all the remains 

 had for the most part been conveyed into the above situations by the 

 agency of largebodies of water which atone time overflowed the greater 

 portion of the eastern half of Malta. None of the Chelonian bones ex- 

 amined by me give indications of the presence of either land or marine 

 species, but agree in their characters with the Elodians and Pota- 

 mians. The largest comprise part of the right and left femurs of 

 perhaps the same individual, a detached lower extremity of a 

 humerus, several tibiae, and one cervical vertebra from Mnaidra 

 Gap, besides a large caudal vertebra from Benghisa Gap, which is 

 six miles distant from the former, and situated at the extreme south- 

 east point of the island. Among organic remains from the Zebbug 

 Cave, in the middle of the island, I also observed fragments of bones 

 of individuals equal to, if not somewhat larger than, any here de- 

 scribed ; also a portion of a humerus of a species of very much smaller 

 size. A glance at the femurs above mentioned shows, by their oblong- 

 heads and the trochanters being separated by a deep and arched de- 

 pression, that they belonged to either a Marsh- or River-tortoise. 

 Their dimensions are as follows : — 



Transverse measurement from head to trochanters... 3'5 inches. 



Antero-posterior length of tuberosities 2*6 ,, 



Length of head 2-5 ,, 



Breadth of head 1-9 „ 



Girth of head 6'5 „ 



G-irth of neck 6*0 „ 



Depth of inter trochanter notch 3 lines. 



Girth of shaft, three inches below the trochanters 4-5 inches. 



thus representing an individual nearly four times as large as the 

 Chelys matamata, and about two feet in height. A tibia entire, but 

 belonging to a smaller individual than the last, is 3' 6 inches in 

 length, with a girth of 2 inches in the middle ; whilst that of its 

 proximal end is 4*5 inches, and the distal 3*5 inches. Another tibia, 

 which has lost its lower extremity and part of the shaft, retains 4-5 

 inches of the upper portion ; the circumference of the head is 5-3 



