42 
THE EACES OE THE MASCAEENES. 
chiefly due to transmission by Mr. George Clark, C.M.Z.S. *, and obtained by the 
Trustees of the British Museum in 1865 and following years. 
2. The carapace of a Tortoise found at Grand Port, a few years ago, in the same 
place where the bones of the Dodo were found (" Mare aux Songes "), sent by our 
esteemed correspondent, L. Bouton, Esq. [This appears to be the carapace mentioned 
in Mr. Clark's statement ; but no plastron was received with it then or afterwards.] 
3. Limb-bones and parts of the pelvis from the district of Flacq, sent by the same 
gentleman. 
4. A perfect pelvis of a very large individual, obtained through C. E. Bewsher, 
Esq., of Port Louis. 
5. Skulls, sternum, and limb-bones from the " Mare aux Songes," presented by the 
Hon. E. Newton. 
Besides, I have had the advantage of consulting the magnificent collection made by 
the Hon. E. Newton, who most kindly submitted it to my examination. It is now in 
the Museum of the University of Cambridge, and consists of several fragmentary cara- 
paces, perfect sterna, and a great number of skulls, scapularies, pelves, humeri, and 
femora. Surpassing in the number of bones the collection in the British Museum, it 
does not offer the same amount of evidence as regards the variety of races in Mauritius, 
the objects having been collected at one locality only, the "Mare aux Songes," whilst 
the remains in the British Museum were obtained at various periods from at least two 
distant districts of the island. 
There can now be no doubt that Tortoises from the Mauritius have been enume- 
rated in the system under distinct names for many years, although zoologists were 
ignorant of their origin. Indeed the very first gigantic Land-Tortoise described proves 
to be a Mauritian species. I allude to the Tortoise described by Perrault in the year 
1676 (Mem. pour servir a I'Hist. Nat. p. 193, c. tab.) under the name of " La Tortue des 
Indes," and stated by him to have come from the coast of Coromandel. That no 
gigantic Land-Tortoise ever came from that coast is certain ; but a ship returning 
thence to Europe would most probably touch at Mauritius, This Tortoise, then, was 
named by succeeding systematists Testudo indica, and finally, by Dumeril and Bibron, 
* The cireiimstances under wliich these bones were found will be readily understood from the following 
abstract of Mr. Clark's " Statement " (Trans. Zool. Soc. vi. p. 51) : — " On the estate called ' Plaisance,' about 
three miles from Mahebourg, in the island of Mauritius, there is a ravine of no great depth or steepness, which 
apparentlj' once convej'cd to the sea the drainage of a considerable extent of circumjacent land, but which has 
been stopped to seaward, most likely for ages, by an accumulation of sand extending all along the shore. The 
outlet from this ravine having been thus impeded, a sort of bog has been formed, called ' La Mare aux Songes,' 
in which is a deposit of alluvium, varying in depth, on account of the inequalities of the bottom, which is 
formed of large masses of basalt, from 3 to 10 or 12 feet. The proprietor of the estate, a few weeks ago, con- 
ceived the idea of employing this alluvium as manure ; and shortly after, the men began digging in it. When 
they had got to a depth of 3 or 4 feet they found numerous bones of large Tortoises, among which were a 
carapace and a plastron pretty nearly entire, as also several crania. . . . These were found imbedded in a 
black vegetable mould, the lighter-coloured specimens being near the springs." 
