EMYS SCABRA. 
the name Testudo scabra by Linnaeus, followed by Daubenton in the Encyclo¬ 
pedic Methodique, by Lacepede, by Latreille, and others; whilst Schoepff gives 
to the same animal, and probably at the same age, the name of T dor sat a ; and 
Spix, long afterwards, describes it as a new species, under the name of Tnnys 
dorsualis. Finally, Daudin, who had followed the former authors in giving it 
the name of T. scabra , under which he very properly arranges it in the fresh¬ 
water family, was the first naturalist who described the adult animal, naming 
it T. punctularia ; but he erroneously considered this as a land tortoise,—thus 
placing the same species, at different ages, in two very distinct groups. Upon 
the most careful consideration, I feel convinced that they are identical, and that 
the only distinctions existing between T. scabra of most former authors, and 
T punctularia of Daudin, are to be attributed to the difference of age in the 
specimens described. Mr. Gray indeed states that the former differs only from 
the latter “ in the spot on the side of the occiput, not being joined to the super¬ 
ciliary band.” I am enabled to negative any importance which might be attached 
to this very trifling character, by mentioning that in two adult specimens which 
I have had living, this union of the occipital spot with the superciliary fascia did 
not exist; and there were several slight differences in the form of the markings 
on the head, sufficient to show how variable such characters are in different 
individuals of the same species. 
The specific name scabra has been given to other species besides that now 
under consideration. I have already mentioned that the tortoise so named by 
Retz is Hy dr aspis galeata , and Daudin asserts that those of Gmelin and of 
Thunberg belong to other species still. The obscurity of the earlier descrip¬ 
tions ofthese animals must render more or less doubtful our attempted elu¬ 
cidations of many of these difficulties; and should certainly lead us to be cau¬ 
tious of giving a decided and dogmatical opinion on disputed synonyms. 
The obscurity has not been lessened in the present instance by the inaccu¬ 
racy of the habitat assigned to this tortoise by Seba, who terms it “ Testudo 
terrestris Amboinensis minor? The increased light which has of late years 
been thrown upon the geographical distribution of animals, has shown how 
utterly worthless is the authority of that laborious collector, in all that relates 
to the countries from which his specimens were said to be derived, and ren- 
