TRIONYX GANGETICUS. 47 



plates, and confluent with the first pair of costals. The surface of the bony carapace is finely 

 rugose, without tubercles. The hinder sternal plates ovate, converging behind, rather larger 

 than the last costal plates. 



Voting specimens (in spirits) are distinguished by having the small tubercles of the 

 epidermis arranged in about ten irregular longitudinal series on each side of the upper shell, 

 the series being rather remote from one another. Upper side with scattered, rounded, 

 brownish, light-edged spots ; these spots disappear with age. The whole head and the throat 

 with small brown spots, and with a brown line from the lip, through the eye, along each side 

 of the occiput ; another brown transverse line between the eyes, and sometimes a thu-d below 

 the eye. Young specimens have sometimes large symmetrical blackish spots on the sternum 

 and at the root of the tail. 



This species is peculiar to China ; it has been found also on the Chinese island of Chusan, 

 and is common in Formosa, where it has been collected by Mr. Swinhoe. The shell of the 

 largest specimen in the British Museum is 7 inches long. 



TrIONYX GANGETICUS. 



Trionyx gangeticiis, Cuv. Regne Anim. 



hurum, Gray, Illustr. Ind. Zool. c. tab. 



ocellatus, Gray, IlhiMr. Ind. Zool. c. tab. 



Gymnopus duvaucellii, Duiii. ^ Bibr. Erpet. gen. ii. p. 487. 



ocellatus, Dum. ^ Bibr. I. c. p. 489. Jacquem. Voy. Ind., Repf. pi. 9. 



gangeticus, Cantor, Mat. Rept. p. 8. 



Shell of the adult. — The bony carapace rather longer than broad, with a slight swellmg 

 anteriorly on the vertebral line. The anterior dorsal bone rather short, broad, rugose like 

 the other costal plates, and confluent with the first pair of costals. The surface of the bony 

 carapace is coarsely rugose, without prominent tubercles. 



Young specimens (in spirits) with a low, rather indistinct vertebral ridge, terminating in a 

 slight transverse swelling anteriorly. The small tubercles of the epidermis are arranged in 

 twelve or thirteen very irregular interrupted lines on each side of the upper shell. All the 

 sternal bones are covered with soft skin. Greyish olive, with two or three pairs of deep- 

 brown ocelli, each of which has a black, red-edged centre ; the soft parts and the margin of 

 the shell with yellowish dots ; a rounded yellowish spot beliind each eye, another across the 

 nose, and one on the angle of the mouth. Traces only of these ocelli appear to remain in 

 older individuals, and at length disappear entirely. 



This species is found in the Ganges and its tributaries, upwards to Nepal ; and at Pinang, 

 in rivers and on the sea-coast. Dr. Cantor says that it is of fierce habits, defending itself 

 desperately by biting, and emitting when excited a low, hoarse, cackling sound. It appears 

 to be far less numerous at Pinang than T. Javanicus and Chitra indica. The shell of the 

 largest specimen observed was 23 inches long. 



