166 LAND TORTOISE FROM AFRICA. 
backward. The wings are long, extending from 
the fourth to the seventh marginal plate inclusively. 
The anterior portion of the sternum is thick and 
strong, constituting a firm support for the neck of 
the animal; it projects half an inch beyond the 
carapace. 
Colour . — Head above light straw-colour, with a 
slight tinge of orange upon the rostral and fronto- 
nasal plates. Upper jaw light horn-colour anteriorly, 
with a tinge of orange along its posterior border ; 
lower jaw light orange ; iris dark brown ; chin flesh 
colour with a few spots of orange ; throat flesh colour ; 
neck very pale straw colour above, flesh colour be- 
neath, becoming deeper when the animal is irritated ; 
anterior extremities light straw colour, lighter upon 
the humerus, and in the axilla. Posterior extre- 
mities and tail of a uniformly light straw colour. 
Shell deep chestnut-brown, lighter in front upon 
the anterior vertebral, and the anterior marginal 
plates ; the costal plates are bordered inferiorly with 
yellow, most perceptible upon the two first. In 
some specimens the ground colour of the first and 
second costal is yellow, the chestnut appearing in 
the form of rays; sternum black, bordered with 
light yellow ; in very old specimens the yellow pre- 
dominates, the black appearing in the form of large 
blotches. 
