EMYS SINENSIS. 27 



neck blackish brown, sides of the head and neck with four interrupted yellow streaks; jaws 

 and throat yellow, marbled with black. 



Nothing is known of the habits of this very obscure species; it is a native of China, 

 apparently of the southern parts. 



Emys sinensis. The Chinese Pond Tortoise. 



Emys sinensis, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1834, p. 53, and Shield Rept. p. 21. tab. 7 (half-gro^yn) . 

 bennettii, Gray, Shield Rept, p. 22. tab. 10 (adult). 



Form. — Shell depressed, ovate, not emarginate or serrated, with three longitudinal ridges, 

 the outer of which are very indistinct, but visible in old and young individuals ; the middle is 

 elevated, extending over the anterior and posterior vertebrals, and slightly interrupted behind 

 each shield. The notch in the caudal is very small. Lateral margins of the upper shell 

 slightly reverted. Sternum rounded on the sides; its breadth between the axillary and 

 inguinal incisions is nearly equal, and contained twice and a third in its length ; it is sub- 

 truncated anteriorly, its posterior notch being rectangular. 



Plates. — The areolae are finely granular ; those of the vertebrals are situated on the hind 

 margins of the plates, and divided into two by the median ridge. The costal areolae are 

 more or less remote from the hind margin of the shields, and slightly elevated along the 

 middle ; they are nearer to the marginal shields than to the median ridge. The areolae 

 disappear entirely in very old individuals. Nuchal plate suhguadr angular, nearly as broad as 

 long. The first vertebral nearly as broad as long, the last broader than long. Caudal divided. 

 Gulars longer than broad, the suture between them being twice as long as that between the 

 postgulars in the adult specimen. Postgular much smaller than the square pectoral. Abdo- 

 minal and praeanal of the same length, the former longer than broad in its sternal portion. 

 Suture between the anals as long as their posterior margin. 



Head covered with undivided skin ; jaws finely denticulated in old individuals. Tail slender. 



Feet. — Fingers and toes completely webbed. The front side of the forearm is covered with 

 large, not prominent, scales of difi'erent size ; wrist with a transverse series of four large scales 

 on its inner side. 



Colour. — Shell brownish olive dotted vnth brown, the ridges yellow ; sternum yellow, each 

 plate brownish towards the hinder margin. Each marginal plate has on the lower side a 

 large brownish ocellus edged with dark brown. Sides of the head, neck, throat, and feet with 

 numerous narroiv blackish-broivu longitudinal stripes on a yellow ground. 



This species is found in the neighbourhood of Canton and on the island of Formosa*. 



* Several specimens from South Formosa have been collected by Mr. Swinhoe. 



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