KINOSTERNON SCORPIOIDES. 
or described by Spix, in his work on the Tortoises of Brazil, in which the 
present species is twice figured and described. The error, however, like many 
others sanctioned by such authority, has been perpetuated by subsequent 
writers, as Lacepede, Latreille, Daudin, and Merrem. The name scorpioides 
was given to it from a character which is certainly not constant, namely, the 
existence of a horny claw terminating the tail. In Spix’s figure of Kinoster- 
non longicaudatum , which is certainly the present species, such a claw exists, 
and the tail is of considerable length ; in the specimen from which our draw¬ 
ing was made, as well as in K. brevicaudatum of Spix, the tail is short, conical, 
and has no terminal nail or spine. A similar variety occurs in Testudo indica , 
T. grceca, T marginata , and other species, some individuals of which have 
longer tails with the terminal claw, and others very short ones without such 
an appendage. It has been observed by Lacepede that adult animals only 
have it. Whether it be a distinction appertaining to sex is as yet undeter¬ 
mined ; but it is most probable that it belongs to the female, from the circum¬ 
stance of its existing only at the extremity of a tail much longer than those in 
the same species which have no such appendage, and the consequent removal 
of the opening of the cloaca to some extent from the margin of the shell. The 
object of this length of tail in the female, would be to allow of a considerable 
extension of the cloaca, and thus to afford a greater facility for the passage of 
the egg. 
The true structure of this tortoise was first understood by Daudin, who 
places it in his subdivision of “Tortues a boite.” Lacepede had previously 
considered it as belonging to the fresh-water group, and appears surprised at 
one of that division having a spine at the tail. Merrem however, having over¬ 
looked this arrangement of Daudin, probably in consequence of that author 
having altered the name to tricarinata, considers it as a land tortoise, and 
places it in his subgenus Chersine. Testudo tricarinata of SchoepfF is un¬ 
doubtedly the young of this species. I have a specimen a little larger than 
his figure ; it is of a bright chestnut colour, and has the three dorsal carinse 
very distinctly marked. 
In the General Zoology, Shaw has figured and described a specimen of this 
species, as a variety of T. pensylvanica, in which, as in one in my possession, 
