268 
DR. A. GUNTHER ON GIGANTIC LAND-TORTOISES. 
Bibron (‘ Erpetol. Gener.’ ii. p. 80) to two examples, of which the smaller, very young 
one, is in the Paris Museum, whilst the larger, but also of young age*, is the property 
of the Royal College of Surgeons. Bibron’s description is almost entirely drawn up 
from the latter specimen, which, therefore, must be regarded as the type. However, I 
suspect that the very young example which Dumeril and Bibron have associated with 
this specimen should not be referred to this species, but possibly belongs to one of the 
Mascarene Tortoises. Bibron, in his description of its legs, omits all mention of the 
large scute in front of the elbow — a character which, as far as we know at present, is 
common to all Galapagos Tortoises, but is absent in the Mascarene species. Further, I 
am almost certain that the large skull described by Dr. Gray (Shield Kept. p. 6, pi. 34) 
under the name of Testudo planiceps belongs to the present species, for the following 
reasons: — 1. There is that circumstantial evidence, that we are acquainted with the 
adult skulls of T. elephant opus ^ T. ephippium , and T. microphyes , hut not with that of 
T. nigrita. The skulls of the three former species have been preserved, together with 
their carapaces, but the skull belonging to the shell of our single adult individual of T. 
nigrita is lost. As the skull named T. planiceps differs in a marked manner from all 
the others, we may reasonably suppose that it is that of the last-named species. 2. The 
British Museum possesses a skeleton of a young T. nigrita ; and although the skull of 
this individual has the specific characters not well developed on account of its young- 
age, it shows a greater resemblance, especially in its narrower snout, to the skull named 
T. planiceps than to any of the three others. 
The materials available for the description of this species are the following : — 
1. A carapace without sternum of a very large example, 41 inches in a straight line; 
it was purchased by the Trustees of the British Museum of the Manager of the former 
Surrey Zoological Gardens, who could not give any information as regards its history 
(Plate 33. fig. B). 
2. A carapace 22 inches longf ; type of Testudo nigrita (D. & B.) ; property of the 
Royal College of Surgeons ; history and sex unknown. I am indebted to Prof. Flower, 
F.R.S., for the loan of this specimen (Plate 35. fig. C). 
3. The perfect skeleton with epidermoid plates of a young example, the carapace 
being 15^ inches long. History and sex unknown. In the British Museum. 
4. A very young example, stuffed, in the British Museum ; carapace 8^ inches long. 
This specimen was purchased of a collector coming from Chile, and therefore without 
doubt came originally from the Galapagos Islands. A figure of it, somewhat reduced 
in size, has been given by Dr. Gray, under the name of T. elephantopus , in Proc. Zool. 
Soc. 1870, p. 706, pi. 41 + 
* Bibrox considered it to be an adult example ; and its relation to the Galapagos Tortoises appears to have 
escaped his notice entirely. 
t Bibrox gives 365 millims. as the length of this example, which is evidently a misprint for 565. 
+ An example of about the same age is rather indifferently figured in Sowerby and Lear’s ‘ Tortoises, Turtles, 
and Terrapins,’ where it is named Testudo indica. 
