338 BURMA, IT.'i PEOPLE AXD PRODUCTIOXS. 



Famllij Eniydidse. 



Fresh-water Chelonians, of small anil mudiuiii size, with sternum and tliorax 

 united into a bony case, without lateral or transverse joints. Sternum Hat Lu botli 

 sexes. Habits active, carnivorous. Zygomatic arch complete. 



Bellia, Gray. 



Shell three-keeled, when young. Zygomatic arch strong. 



B. CBASsicoLLis, Gray. 



Colour deep clouded olive above and below, without markings, but paler in spots. 

 A small nuchal shield. The second, third, and fourth vertebrals mushroom-shaped, 

 semicircular in front. Young shells arc three-keeled. This species readily takes 

 the hook, but is afoul feeder, not to be recommended for food. Common in Tenasserim. 

 Grows to 7i inches. 



Melanochelys, Graij. 



Shell three-keeled. Zygomatic arch weak. 



M. Edexiaxa, Anderson. 



Colour black, edges of keels and sternum yellowish. Shell three-keeled. 

 Grows to 12 inches. 



Inhabits Arakan, Pegu, and Tenasserim. This is the Burmese representative 

 of M. trijtiga, Gray, of India, and M. Selm, Gray, of Ceylon. 



Famili/ Bataguridae. 



Eiver or estuary Chelonians, mostly of large size, with solid shells, contracted 

 internally at each end. Sternum flat in both sexes. Food mainly vegetable. 



MoKExiA, Gray. 



Small-sized Ilatayuroids, with an ocellatcd jiattern of ornamentation. 



M. OCELLATA, Dum. ct Bib. 



Emys Berdmorei, Blyth. 



Colour pale greenish-olive, with an ocellus on each costal plate. Beneath pale 

 yellow. Shell globose. Females grow to 8 mches or more. Males are smaller. 



Inhabits Pegu and Tfnasserim, where it replaces or represents the allied species 

 J/. Pefersi, Anderson. It is a thoroughly aquatic form, but during the inundations, 

 numbers find their way from tanks and rivers over the country, and on the subsidence 

 of the water, and the clearance of the grass by fire in April, are either captured alive, 

 or their scorched bodies are picked up by scores by the people, who greatly relish their 

 flesh ibr food. 



An examination of the type specimen in Paris has enabled Dr. Anderson to 

 decide that it belongs to the Burmese animal, and did not come as stated, from Bengal,' 

 where the species is unknown. 



Bataquu, Gray. 



B. Kachuga, Ham. Buch. 



Colour uniform greenish olive-brown, beneath yellowish. Back of the neck 

 brownish, with seven nd-brown streaks. The chin with ten yellow spots on the side. 

 Seasonablj' the colours become veiy brilliant. Grows to 2-4 inches. 



Inhabits Pegu and Tenasserim. 



' For the Bengal .species. Dr. Aiukrsdii therefore adopts a new name. 

 M. 1'eteusi, Anderson. 

 £. occUata, apud Blyth. 

 Adult male -J-So ; female 770. 



