118 KECOKDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



A few other points remain to be dealt with. Up to 1903 all 

 the Chelonians recorded from New Guinea were Pleurodirans. In 

 that year, however, I announced the occurrence of PdochehjK 

 cantorix, Gray, in New Guinea,^ and thus added a member of the 

 Trionychoidea to the known fauna. 



Ramsay remarked that the head was non-retractile, a statement 

 doubted by Baur, and as I have shown incorrect. 



In comparing Carettochfhjs witli I't^eiidotriony:):, an affinity 

 suggested by Boulenger, Baur noted tlie difference in the number 

 of the neural plates, six in the ft)rmer, se\en in the latter. Oui' 

 example, however, shows an agreement in this respect between 

 the two genera. The characters of the family as defined by this 

 writer require emendation, the plastron in Carettochelys being 

 composed of nine elements only, the supposed mesoplastra being 

 absent. 



This turtle was originally described as an inhabitant of fresh 

 water, but the occurrence of an example at the island of Kiwai 

 shows that it is also an estuarine form. The main outlet of the 

 Fly River is twelve miles across, and Kiwai is a large island in 

 tlie river about eight miles fi-oni the mouth. It supports two 

 villages separated by a salt-water creek, but connected by a native 

 bridge. Mr. Froggatt tells me that at Kiwai the water is 

 absolutely salt, so that the turtle may not be confined to the Fly 

 River or its tributaries, but occur also in other livers entering the 

 Papuan Gulf. 



The following references may be added to tlie bibliography of 

 the subject, since its publication in the paper fii-st-named below. 



Baur, G. — On the relations of Carcttochi'lys, Ramsay. Amei-. 

 Nat., XXV., 1891, pp. 631-639, pi. xiv.-xvi. and Science, xvii., 

 1891, p. 190. 



Vaillant, L.^ — Essai sur la Classification generate des cheloniens. 

 Ann. 8ci. Nat., (7), xvi., 1894, pp. 331-345. 



Boulenger, G. A. — Remarks on two imperfect skulls of 

 Carettochely>< insculpta. Proc. Zool. Soc, 1898, p. 851. 



i Waite— Rec. Aust. Mas., v., 1903, p. 50. 



