70 



CATALOGUE OF SHIELD REPTILES. 



Tvionys subplanus. Gray, Syn. 48 ; Illnst. hid. Zool. t. 



Schlegel, Faun. Japon. 34. 

 Gymnopus subplanus, Dum. ^- Bib. Erp. Gen. ii. 497 ; Cat. 



'Meth. R. 23. 

 Amyda subplana, Fit:. Sysf. Rept. 30. 



Hafj. Japan. 



a. Half-grown (dry). Stemaltubercles 2, very indistinctly 

 indicated, narrow. Presented by Gen. Th. Hardwicke. 



fj. Half-grown (in spirits). Head brown, minutely white- 

 dotted, with a narrow brown streak from each nostril 

 to the eve, and with some very indistinct brown Unes 

 on the "crown ; lip brown, with larger white spots. 

 Back brown, very indistinctly white-dotted. Japan. 

 From ^lus. Levden. 



§§ Head elongate ; face very short ; eyes anterior. 



5. CHITRA. 

 Head very depressed, large, dilated behind. INIuzzle 

 very short, broad. Lips very thick. Shield Hexible on 

 the edge. Ribs 8-8. Vertebral bones distinct, narrow. 

 Sternum narrow at each end. Sternal callosities 4. Epi- 

 sternal lines elongate, far apart, nearly parallel. Skull 

 much elongated and depressed. 



Chitra, Gray, Cat. Tort. B.M. 49 (1844). 

 Gvninopus, sp.. Bum. i^ Bifj. Erp. Gen. ii. 491 

 'Mefk. R. 22. 



Cantor, Cat. Rept. Malay. 10. 



Cat. 



1. CMtra Indica. The Sewteree. 

 Shield much depressed, with a narrow longitudinal central 

 depression ; the anterior vertebra broad, crescent-shaped ; 

 anterior sternal bones short ; lateral callosities oblong, four- 

 sided, with parallel sides ; hmder triangular, front edge 

 straight. 



Chitra Indica, Gray, Cat. Tort. B.M. 49. 



Trionyx Indicus, Gray, Syn. Rept. 47. 



Trionyx ^Egyptiacus, var. Indicus, Gray, Illiist. Ind. Zool. 



i. t. 80. 

 Testudo Chitra, B. Hamilton, Icon. ined. 

 Gymnopus lineatus, Dum. ^- Bib. Erp. Gen. ii. 491 ; Cat. 



'Meth. R. 22. 



Hnb. India ; Ganges ; Philippines. 



c, d. Half-grown and young. The inner edge of lateral 

 callosities slightly diverging in front ; anterior sternal 

 bones narrow, elongate. India. Capt. Boys' Collec- 

 tion. 



a. Adult (stuffed). Philippine Islands. From Mr. Cu- 



ming's Collection. 



b. Very young (in spirits). Olive; front of shield covered 



with close round subconic warts. Head olive, minutely 



black-dotted ; throat olive, minutely white-dotted. 

 Philippine Islands. 



Osteology. Tab. XLII. 



c. Skull and os hyoides (very large). Nepaul. Presented 

 by H. Falconer, M.D. 



The shells of the living specimens are remarkably de- 

 pressed and smooth ; above, greenish-olive, vermiculated 

 and spotted with brown or rust colour ; beneath greenish- 

 white. 



" At Pinang this species is frequently taken in the fishing 

 stakes. The Chinese inhabitants greatly relish this, as 

 well as Tyrse Javanica, as articles of food. Individuals 

 weighing 240 lbs. occur in the Ganges, and others of gi- 

 gantic dimensions are not uncommon at Pinang. It is very 

 powerful and of ferocious habits. The largest individual 

 measured: — Head 6 ; neck 5 ; shell 37 ; tail 4 inches." — 

 Cantor. 



B. Pinnata. Feet pinnate. 



Chelone (Chelonia), Brongniart, Bull. Soc. Philom. 18 . 



Bnmeril, Zool. Anal. (1806). 

 Chelonii, Oppel, ReptiUen (1811). 

 Chelones ou Tortues marines. Baud. 

 Les Tortues de mer, Llaubenton, Ency. Mith. 



Cuv. R.A. ii. 12, ed. 2. ii. 13. 

 Sea Tortoises or Turtles, Shaw, Zool. 

 Testudmes marinae, PI in. II. N. ix. c. 20, xxxii. c. 4. 

 Testudinata pinnata, Merrem, Tent. 1 7. 



Be!l, Zool. Journ. iii. 

 Testudines oiacopodes, U'agler, Syst. Amph. 133 (1820). 

 Eretmochelones, Ritzen, Nov. Act. Acad. Nat. Cur. xiv. 



269 (1828). 

 Thalassites ou Tortues marines, Dum. ^ Bib. Erp. Gen. ii. 

 506 ; Cat. Meth. R. 24. 



Fam. V. CHELONIAD^ (Turtles). 



Head globose, shielded ; nostrils rather tubular. Beaks 

 horny, naked. Neck short, suhretractUe. Feet very long, 

 not retractile, compressed, fin-shaped ; toes depressed, ex- 

 panded at the end, and often armed with flat claws ; front 

 feet longest. Tail short, thick. 



Shell low, cordate, with a defined liony margin, coveretl 

 with horny shields or a leathery skin. Ribs free at the 

 end. Sternum rmg-like, cartilaginous in the centre, and 

 only united to the thorax by a cartilaginous suture. 



Seas of torrid and temperate zones : some eating alg£e, 

 as Ch. Midas, which are used for food, and imported as a 

 luxurv ; others, mollusca and radiated animals, as Ch. Ca- 



