c -^ ) 



Testudo, Oppel. 



Caudal plate single. Toes five before, four behind. 

 {The Asiatic species have been separated by Gray wilder the 

 generic name of Peltastes.) 



T. elegans. Sehoepf. 



T. geornetrica, Hutton. J. A. S., vol. 6, p. 689, pi. 38. 



T. megalopvs, Blyth. 3. A. S., vol. 22, p. 640. 



T. stellata Schw apud, Blyth. J. A. S., vol. 22, p. 640. 



No nuchal plate. In many adults, the plates are elevated into 

 prominent humps with corresponding concavities inside ; colour 

 black, "with yeUow areolae, and yellow streaks elegantly radiating 

 therefrom. In the young, the ground-colour is yellow. Areolse 

 of vertebral plates, central, of the costals, towards the upper 

 margiu, of the marginal plates in the lower posterior corner. 

 Specimens rarely exceed 12 inches in length. Oviposits in 

 November, laying four eggs. 



Inhabits Peninsular India and Ceylon, but not Lower Ben^. 



From Mr. Blyth's remarks it would seem that the character 

 which mainly separates this species from geornetrica — the absence 

 of a nuchal plate — is a rather doubtful one, as specimens of geo- 

 rnetrica presented from South Africa {a and h of my Catalogue 

 of Rep. in Mus., As. Soc. B.) have likewise no nuchal plate. The 

 identity of geornetrica and elegans, if established, will consider- 

 ably militate against Dr. Gray's arrangement of them under 

 different sub-genera — (Chersonella and Peltastes). 



T. platynotus, Blyth. J. A. S., B., 1863, p. 83. 

 No nuchal plate : aspect very hke elegans, but the shell in 

 adults remarkably flat ; in the young and half-grown, arched and 

 globose. Colour black, with yeUow ra_ys. The first vertebral 

 and last costal plates'S-rayed. The last vertebral and first costal 

 7-rayed. Head yellow, with one large vertical and two large 

 occipital shields. Pupil large, dark, with narrow brown iris. 

 Specimens rarelj^ attain 12 inches. 



Inhabits Northern Pegu and Upper Burmah. 



