TESTUDO EPHIPPIUM. 81 
part of the skull. The Albemarle races, T. microphyes as well as T. vicina, have the 
outer pterygoid expanded, differing therein from T. elephantopiis and T. nigrita, and 
agreeing in this respect with T, ephipinum, in which, however, the expansion is 
excessive and the concavity less. Our largest male skull of the North- Albemarle 
race (Plate XLV. figs. A-C) is 4f inches long : in this skull the foramina palatina are 
29 millims. distant from each other, and the posterior roots of the pterygoid edges 
25 millims. ; so that the convergence of the latter is very gradual. The distance of a 
foramen palatinum from the anterior extremity of the vomer is 30 millims. The ridges 
on the base of the skull are obsolete ; but the impression in front of the occipital 
condyle is deep. Parietal crest raised above the surface of the cranium, of moderate 
length. Articular surface of the mandible very narrow. 
In all these particulars our skull of T. vicina (Plate XLVII. fig. A) agrees with that 
of the northern form. It is also that of a male, 4 J inches long, measured from the front 
margin of the intermaxillary to the occipital condyle, and 4 inches broad in its widest 
part, between the zygomatic arches. Its outer tympanic rim has asubcircular outline ; 
and the ridge which runs from the Eustachian notch [e] to the stapedial foramen, and 
to which the columella is attached, is high and rather sharp. 
Of the skull of the female (Plates XLII.-XLIV. fig. B) I have given a detailed 
description (Phil. Trans. 1875, p. 27G). It differs from that of the male in having the 
occipital crest and the tympanic case but little produced backwards, being in general 
configuration but little removed from the young skull, although it is one of a fully 
adult animal. In the depth and width of the mesopterygoid region, in the expansion 
and direction of the pterygoid edges, there is no difference whatever from the male. 
5. TeSTUDO EPHIPPIUM. 
I proposed (Phil. Trans. 1875, p. 271) this name for a species equally well charac- 
terized by the peculiar form of its carapace and of its skull. Porter's remarks on the 
Tortoises of Charles Island (see ante, p. 5) apply so well to this species that I have 
no doubt that the specimen from which the following description is taken came from 
that island. If this is really the case, this species is probably extinct. Tlie specimen 
is an adult male, 33 inches long, stuffed, and belongs to the Museum of Science and 
Arts, Edinburgh. It was lent to me by T. C. Archer, Esq., Director of the Museum, 
who most kindly allowed the skull and limb-bones to be extracted, which could be 
effected without the least injury to the outward appearance of the specimen. Nothing 
is known of its history. 
A very young stuffed example, 7 inches long, in the British Museum is referred to 
this species on account of its oblong shape and large smooth areolte. 
The carapace (Plates XXXIX. and XXXI. fig. B) is narrow, oblong, and deep ; from 
the middle of the central dorsal plate to the front margin of the shell the upper profile 
M 
