48 CHELONIA. 



Tkionyx JAVAN'ICUS. 



Trionyx javanicus, Schweigg. Prodr. p. 287. Gray, Illustr. Ind. Zool. c. tab. 

 Gymnopus javanicus, Dum. ^ Bibr. Erpet. gen. ii. p. 493. 

 cartilagineaj [Boddaert) Cantor, Catal. Rept. p. 9. 



Shell of dned adult specimens. — The bony carapace is rather longer than broad, with the 

 vertebral line slightly elevated. The anterior dorsal bone is rugose and confluent with the 

 anterior costals ; in young specimens only a part of its surface is rugose. Surface of the 

 carapace very coarsely rugose, some irregular longitudinal lines being more prominent than 

 the rest. Middle and hinder sternal bones nearly entirely rugose. 



Young specimens (in spirits) with a low, rather indistinct vertebral ridge; the small 

 tubercles of the epidermis are arranged in thirteen or fourteen irregular interrupted longi- 

 tudinal lines. All the sternal bones covered with soft skin. Three pairs of violet stripes 

 diverge from a median stripe running from between the eyes to the nape. Upper shell 

 sometimes with brown, red-edged ocelli, more or less regularly disposed in pairs. 



This species is found in the Ganges and its tributaries, in the Deccan, and, according to 

 Cantor, at Pinang, where it would appear to be numerous. However, two specimens from 

 Dr. Cantor's collection, named by him Trionyx javanicus, do not belong to this species, but 

 to Ti: subplanus. 



Tr. javanicus has been founded on specimens from Java, which I have not had an oppor- 

 tunity of examining. The characteristic mai'kings of the head of the continental specimens are 

 not mentioned in descriptions of Javan individuals, so that both may be specifically different. 



Trionyx ornatus. (Plate VI. fig. B.) 



Trionyx omatus, Gray, Pror. Zool. Soc. 1861, p. 41. pi. 5 (young). 



Shell of the adult. — The bony carapace is longer than broad, with the vertebral line 

 slightly elevated. The anterior dorsal bone is not rugose on its surface; there is a non- 

 ossified space behind it. Surface of the carapace very coarsely rugose, some of the reticulated 

 lines being more prominent than the rest ; only the middle sternal bones have a small portion 

 rugose, the remainder being covered with skin. Head and feet with numerous yellowish 

 dots. 



Young specimen. — The small tubercles of the skin are very irregularly arranged, forming 

 close, interrupted series. Shell brownish, with large, round, irregularly disposed, black, 

 yellow-edged spots ; the upper side of the head with black dots ; the lateral and lower parts 

 of the neck with large yellow spots ; limbs with smaller spots of the same colour. 



The British Museum possesses three specimens of this very distinct species: one from 



