REPTILIA. 
43 
London Clay of Sheppey in Table-case W. Large tortoises 
(Testudo ammon ) are also exhibited from the Upper Eocene 
of Egypt (Wall-case 19) ; and there are still larger specimens 
(T. grandidieri) from caverns in Madagascar (Stands Y, Z). 
The largest known tortoise is Colossochelys atlas, from the 
Lower Pliocene of the Siwalik Hills, India, represented by 
fragments in Wall-case 18, and by a restored model of the 
shell (Stand X), which measures 8 feet in length. Like all 
other tortoises, this must have been a vegetable-feeder. The 
Fig. 41.—Carapace or dorsal shield of a small Turtle (Ghelone '-benstedi) 
from the Lower Chalk of Burham, Kent; about one-third nat,, size. 
(Wall-case 18.) 
last survivor of the tortoises in England was Emys orbicularis, 
of which shells have been found in Pleistocene deposits in 
Norfolk. This species still survives in southern Europe. 
The earliest typical turtles are of Cretaceous age, and fine 
specimens of the large Chelone hoffmanni are exhibited from 
the Upper Chalk of Maastricht, Holland (Wall-case 18). 
Fragments of similar turtles, with remains of smaller species 
such as Chelone benstedi (Fig. 41), also occur in the English 
Chalk. Skulls of Bhinochelys are common in the Cambridge 
Greensand. A gigantic leathery turtle, Eospliargis gig as, is 
Wall-ca3e3 
18, 19. 
Cases W 
to Z. 
Wall-case 
18. 
