28 ■ - CHELONIA. 



The typical specimen of E. sinensis is 4^ inches long, that of E. hennettii 10 inches ; we 

 consider the latter as the adult of the former. Although the costal ridges (which are never 

 fully developed) have disappeared in the old specimen, the colours of the soft parts and the 

 ocelli on the marginal plates appear to us characteristic of the species. 



Emys ceassicollis. The Thick-necked Pond Tortoise. (Plate IV. fig. E.) 



Emys crassicollis, Gray, Syn. p. 21. tab. 7. fig. 3; Illustr. Ind. Zool. tab. . fig. 2; Shield Rept. 



p. 20. Cantor, Mai. Rept. p. 3. 

 nigra, Blyth, Journ, As. Soc. Beng. xxiv. 1855, p. 713. 



Form. — Shell depressed, oblong, mth the lateral edges nearly straight, and ivith the pos- 

 terior margin serrated. Three longitudinal ridges run along the vertebral and costal plates, 

 but they are very low, and those of the costals become nearly obliterated with age. The 

 plates are very smooth, with the areolae and concentric striae obsolete. Costal ridges close by 

 the vertebral line and remote from the lateral margins of the shell. Sternum truncated in 

 front, its width between the front and hind incisions being nearly equal, and more than one- 

 half of its length. 



Plates. — Nuchal plate subtriangular, longer than broad. Vertebrals much contracted 

 behind : the anterior triangular, with the posterior point of the triangle truncated ; the last 

 broader than the caudals. Upper portion of the marginal plates very narrow. Gulars as 

 long as broad; postgulars relatively small, not longer than gulars. Pectorals, abdominals, 

 and prseanals of nearly equal length ; sternal portion of the abdominal nearly square. 



Head short and broad ; cleft of the mouth broader than long ; nose slightly protruding. 

 Tail short. 



Colotir. — Shell uniform brownish black ; head and feet brown, with several white markings — 

 one above each eye, and another (rounded) on each side of the neck ; lower jaw with a broad 

 white transverse band. These markings appear to become indistinct with age. 



This description is taken from an old example 7 inches long; the species appears to 

 attain to a length of 10 mches. According to Dr. Cantor it feeds on frogs, shellfish, and 

 animal ofial. Well-authenticated localities in British India, where this species is found, are 

 Mergui and the Malayan Peninsula. Specimens of this species, or of one closely alhed to it, 

 have been brought from Gamboja ; the costal ridges of these specimens are very indistinct, 

 and the postgular plates comparatively larger. The same species is said to occur also in 

 Sumatra and Java*. 



Plate IV. fig. E. represents a half-grown specimen of the natural size, said to be from 

 Sumatra. 



* The specimen mentioned by Dr. Gray as from Ceylon is an adult E. sebce. 



