TESTUDO RADIATA. 
Testee osseae mensura. 
unc. lin. 
Longitudo dorsi. 10 2 
Latitudo ejusdem. 8 0 
Altitudo. 6 4 
Longitudo sterni . 9 5 
The synonyms of this beautiful species are involved in some obscurity, and 
I have carefully avoided inserting any which appeared doubtful. It was first 
described by Grew in his account of the rarities in the Museum of the Royal 
Society, in which work it is well figured. Daudin, ignorant of this book, 
describes it as a new species, and gives it the name of T Coui ,* but as Shaw 
had already applied to it the appropriate name of radiata , it has been retained 
by most subsequent authors. Merrem however considers it as identical 
with T. calcarata of Schneider, and makes the specific character to depend 
upon a circumstance which never occurs in this species, namely the existence 
of two spurs on the thighs. Mr. Gray*, misled doubtless by this error, 
describes a tortoise in the Paris Museum as a variety of the present species, 
u ano bicalcarato.” There is not however the slightest appearance of such a 
character in any individual which I have seen; and the only species in fact to 
which it would be strikingly applicable is T. pardalis , to which the term 
calcarata may possibly have been, in the first instance, applied. There are 
however two large strong horny scales at the heel of each hinder foot, which 
I consider as a good specific character. 
By an unaccountable oversight, Mr. Gray has given, as one of the specific 
characters of this species, “ scutello nuchali nullo ; ” whereas the nuchal plate 
is comparatively very large and projecting. 
There is no possibility of confounding T radiata with any other species. 
The extraordinary elevation, and especially the spherical form of the shell, 
exclusive of the characters of the other parts, are at once sufficient to distinguish 
it. Although the colours are the same as in X geometrica, actinodes, and 
* Syn. Rept. p. 11. 
