NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 189 



Mohina has a soft, melancholy piping, which is rather touching when they 

 are killed." 



Cinosternum leucostoniuui, Dume'ril. Arch, du Mus. 18, p. 



The number of specimens of this species would indicate it to be the most 

 abundant. Called Pochitoque camatotl. The Mus. Smithsonian possesses 

 also a specimen from Turbo, in New Grenada, from the Michler Surveying Expe- 

 dition. 



Cinosternum b e r e n d t i a n u m, sp. nov. 



Most nearly allied to the preceding, agreeing with it in the contracted 

 rounded outline of the posterior lobe of the sternum, which fits the carapace 

 accurately, and is without emargination, in the large size of the caudal mar- 

 ginals, and the absence of lateral dorsal keels. , The carapace, though more 

 or less keeled, is more depressed tlrm in 1 e u c o s t o m u m, the outline rising 

 behind, and the fixed plastron has greater longitudinal breadth. 



leucostomum. berendtianum. 



Shorter than front, three- Middle plastron ; Longer than front, four- 



fifths of hind lobe. fifths of hind lobe. 



Rounded, without external Marginal bones ; Strongly angnlated. 



angle ; a groove near 



upper margin. First vertebral plate; Lanceolate rarely touch- 

 Equilateral, bordering sec- ing second marginal, 

 ond marginal. 



Gular plate ; Two-fifths longer than 



Long as remaining me- remaining median su- 



dian suture. ture. 



Broader. Last vertebral ; Narrower. 



The shell is a very dark brown above ; below, a dark brownish yellow, with 

 reddish stains on the sutures, or over portions not touching the ground. 

 Length of carapace, 3 in. 9 1. ; of plastron, 3 in. 6 1. ; breadth of carapace, 

 2 in. 6 1. Mus. Smithsonian, No. 6,517- 



Called in Tabasco, Pochitoque jaquactero and negro. 



" I have heard of a third Cinosternum in Tabasco called Pochitoque huau- 

 gito, (the little huau, ) which is said to be smaller than the leucosternum, and 

 lias the same three longitudinal keels as the Huau on the upper shell." Berendt. 

 Probably the C. shavianum (mexicanum, Lee, fide Agass.) 



" Tortugas, Hicoteas, Mohinas and Pochitoques are generally eaten in Ta- 

 basco. The Staurotypus is considered good enough for the Indians, who like 

 it much, but it is despised by the whites. I hadit cooked, and found it better 

 than the Derm itemys. The flesh is reddish when boiled. 



" I was told that, in Tabasco, Staurotypus and Dermatemys lay their eggs in, 

 November and December ; Hicotea in February ; Pochitoque in March and April. 



" Staurotypus lays 10 to 30 eggs ; Dermatemys, 20 eggs ; Hicotea, 12 to 15 

 eggs ; the Mojina, Pochitoque and Talmame, only a few." 



On the etymological character of the native names, Dr. Berendt states as 

 follows : 



"In Tabasco come together three languages of entirely different families ; 

 the principal language is the Chontal, closely related to the Tzendal (Chiapas) 

 and belonging to the Maya family, the Zoque to the South, and the Mexican 

 to the West. We find, consequently, a great mixture of languages in names 

 of natural objects ; besides those names introduced by the Spaniards, eithe.r 

 from the Spanish or from the West Indian language, (Haiti, Cuba, ) and ap- 

 plied to the same or similar things found on the continent 



" Huau is Maya. (' Uauu unos <ja dpagos b tortugas de agua dulce.' 1 fresh.- 

 water turtles.) 



" Chiquihuau. Chic is maya, means flea, (jumping Huau.) 

 1865.] 13 



